Global Leftist Leaders Denounce US Attack On Venezuela

Global leftist leaders took to social media early Saturday to condemn a US attack carried out in Venezuela.

Russia, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico all rejected the military action by the US in the South American nation. Russia said it prompted “deep concern and condemnation,” according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry. Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X that he was seeking a meeting of the United Nations Security Council — a call supported by Russia and Mexico — and rejected “the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America.” 

Echoing Petro, Cuba's leader Miguel Diaz-Canel called for an “urgent” response from the international community against what he described as a “criminal attack.” Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said he held a telephone call with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira, who condemned the US action. 

Donald Trump said the US had captured Nicolas Maduro and flown him out of Venezuela following a series of airstrikes. The first explosions in the capital were heard around 2 a.m. local time, and aircraft could be seen and heard overhead for hours, according to residents. Multiple blasts were centered around the Fuerte Tiuna military base in Caracas. 

Trump is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago, his estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Any change in government in Venezuela is likely to have a significant impact across the region. Countries south of Venezuela have seen a massive inflow of migrants fleeing Maduro's regime, with several South American leaders seeking ways to manage border crossings. 

Argentina's Javier Milei, Bolivia's Rodrigo Paz, Chile's incoming president Jose Antonio Kast and Peru's Jose Jeri have all spoken out against what they call Maduro's illegitimate grip on power and expressed concern over irregular migration.

The 15-member Caribbean Community, known as CARICOM, said it held an emergency meeting Saturday to discuss the attack and assess the “possible implications for neighboring countries.” CARICOM members have warned that instability in Venezuela could trigger a wave of migration that would overwhelm their small island nations. Colombia's Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said on X that the country had activated a unified command center and a border security plan in Cucuta to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants.

Some regional leaders, however, welcomed the intervention. Milei celebrated Maduro's capture by posting his signature slogan, “Long Live Freedom, Dammit!” in reply to a report on X about the Venezuelan leader's arrest. Ecuador's Daniel Noboa said on social media that the structure of “Chavista narco-criminals” would collapse across the continent and expressed support for Venezuela's opposition leaders Edmundo Gonzalez and Maria Corina Machado. Milei, Noboa and other right-wing leaders in the region have long rejected Maduro's rise to power as undemocratic.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, according to a post on X, reiterating that Maduro “lacks legitimacy” while stressing the EU's support for “a peaceful transition.” Later in the day, European Council President Antonio Costa called for de-escalation.

In the US, some Democratic lawmakers also criticized the military operation before Maduro's capture was announced.

“This war is illegal. It's embarrassing that we went from being the world's cop to the world's bully in less than one year,” said Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona. “There is no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela.”

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