JVP condemns US military aggression against Venezuela

• Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife kidnapped, held in US
• Global reactions mixed with China, Russia, Iran and South American States denouncing US actions
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres says he was deeply concerned
• US President Donald Trump says US oil companies would move into country and help repair infrastructure

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shown in US custody

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva

The National People’s Power (NPP) Government’s main constituent party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday issued a statement condemning what it described as military aggression by the US against Venezuela, asserting that the sovereignty of the Latin American nation and the right of its people to determine their leadership must not be violated, according to a press release issued by its Political Bureau.

The statement said: “We strongly condemn the United States of America’s military aggression against the independent and sovereign State of Venezuela and the abduction of democratically elected President Nicolás Maduro and his wife.

As in any other free and sovereign State, the right to determine the future and the leaders of the country rests on the people of Venezuela. Power ful countries do not have the right to violate this principle.

Modern society and governance should be civilised. Democracy, human rights, and the sovereignty of States are universally accepted principles. Military aggressions and invasions against sovereign States in violation of these principles cannot be justified.

In that line, we believe that nobody will approve of the forceful military aggression against Venezuela by the United States of America.

Accordingly, we condemn the military invasion of Venezuela by the United States of America and stand for Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence.”

President Maduro is being held at a detention facility in New York after being apprehended during US military strikes on Venezuela over the weekend.

Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, were transferred from Caracas to the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, where US authorities say he will face charges linked to narcotics trafficking. Maduro has repeatedly rejected accusations that he heads a drug cartel.

In Caracas, the Venezuelan Government has declared a nationwide state of emergency and accused the US of carrying out an act of military aggression, as details continue to emerge over how the operation was conducted.

US President Donald Trump said Washington intends to take control of Venezuela’s governance “until a safe, proper and judicious transition” can be achieved. He also said US oil companies would help repair Venezuela’s damaged infrastructure and generate income for the country.

Trump’s remarks have fuelled criticism that the intervention is less about supporting democratic change in Venezuela and more about securing access to its vast oil resources.

Global reactions to the US capture of the Venezuelan President have split sharply, with some Governments welcoming the end of his rule and others condemning the operation as a breach of international law.

Following US strikes on Venezuela and the detention of Maduro and his wife on drug-related charges in New York, close US allies such as the UK and Israel signalled political support. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London “shed no tears” over the fall of what it considers an illegitimate regime, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised US leadership. Argentina’s President Javier Milei also welcomed the move, hailing it as an advance for “freedom.”

In contrast, most Latin American Governments, along with Russia, China, and Iran, denounced the action as an assault on sovereignty. Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, and Chile’s Gabriel Boric warned it violated international law and risked regional instability. China said it was “deeply shocked,” while Russia described the operation as “armed aggression.”

European leaders struck a more cautious tone. France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas reiterated calls for a peaceful transition that respects international law. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was deeply concerned the strikes set a dangerous precedent.

Within the US, criticism also emerged. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said military action without congressional authorisation and a clear post-conflict plan was reckless, even while describing Maduro as illegitimate.