Venezuela, Russia, China, and UK lawmakers have urged the United States to release Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, following their capture in a U.S. military operation over the weekend.
At a special session of the UN Security Council in New York on Monday, Russia and China condemned the U.S. action, calling it a violation of international law.
Russia described the move as “a harbinger of a return to lawlessness and domination by force,” while China warned that “no country can act as the world’s police, nor presume to be the international judge.”
Cuba, Iran, Colombia, and members of the Non-Aligned Movement echoed similar views, labelling the arrest a “kidnapping” and warning of a dangerous precedent for the international order.
They argued that the immunity of incumbent heads of state had been violated.
Divided International Response
While Russia, China, and Venezuela’s allies defended Maduro as the country’s legitimate president, the UK, EU-aligned states, Panama, and Chile rejected both his presidency and the U.S. attack, instead calling for a peaceful transition to democracy led by Venezuelan society.
In London, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Downing Street, chanting “free Maduro” and listening to speeches from MPs including Jeremy Corbyn and Richard Burgon, who urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump.
The U.S. has defended the operation, describing Maduro’s arrest as a “surgical law-enforcement action” against a narco-terrorist who was not a legitimate head of state.
Maduro and Flores were flown to New York, where they appeared in court Monday and entered not-guilty pleas to drug-related charges.
The Venezuelan government, backed by Russia and China, requested the UN Security Council session, arguing that the U.S. attack violated the UN Charter and endangered regional and global peace.
With Russia, China, the U.S., France, and the UK holding veto powers, the Council is sharply divided over the crisis.
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