London, UK – A swath of European leaders have released public statements after the U.S. deployed a special forces team to capture and extract Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026.
Maduro is to be charged with narco-terrorism, conspiracy, and importing cocaine to the North American nation.
Early Saturday morning, explosions were heard in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, with U.S. helicopters overflying the city. In a post to Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been flown out of the country, with a picture of a handcuffed and blindfolded Maduro being released later in the day.
Source: Donald Trump via Truth Social
Trump has justified his actions by accusing Maduro of being a narco-terrorist, who has supported the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S.. The Venezuelan government, however, labeled the attack as an “imperialist” attempt to take over the country’s oil and mineral resources.
Saturday marked the latest action by President Trump in a series of escalations between the two countries, which have seen the U.S. carry out more than 30 strikes on small boats and 115 “extrajudicial killings”, according to human rights organisations.
“We stand by the people of Venezuela and support a peaceful and democratic transition. Any solution must respect international law and the UN Charter,” said Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Union Commission, on social media.
“We are making sure that EU citizens in the country can count on our full support,” she continued.
Kaja Kallas, Vice-President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Unity for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also released a statement as the situation unfolded:
“I have spoken with [U.S.] Secretary of State Marco Rubio and our ambassador in Caracas. The EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela.”
“The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” Kallas added.
Kallas was the first female prime minister of Estonia, and the first head of government known to be added to Russia’s list of wanted criminals. She has previously criticised President Trump, especially in relation to his handling of the war in Ukraine.
Following a heated conference in the Oval Office between President Zelenskyy and Trump in February, Kallas said: “Today it became clear that the free world needs a new leader.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez echoed Kallas’ words in a statement on X, calling for “de-escalation and responsibility”. He assured that his government was closely monitoring the situation, and that its embassy and consulates are operative.
Giorgia Meloni, the far-right President of Italy, has “followed development in Venezuela since the very early stages”. A statement released by the Palazzo Chigi, Meloni’s official residence, said:
“In line with Italy’s historical position, the government believes that external military action is not the way to put an end to totalitarian regimes, but at the same time considers a defensive intervention legitimate against hybrid attacks on its security, as in the case of state entities that fuel and facilitate drug trafficking.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on the other hand, said that the UK was not involved with the strike on Caracas.
When asked if he condemned the actions of President Trump, Starmer- who was previously a human rights lawyer- said that he “always say[s] and believe[s] that we should uphold international law”, although he sought to “establish the facts first” and speak to President Trump.
In the past, Starmer has attempted to appease Trump on a range of issues, citing the “special relationship” between the countries.
He faces pressure from opposition parties, including the Liberal Democrats and Green Party leaders to condemn America’s actions, while members of the right-wing Conservative Party, including shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel, have said that “nobody will shed tears” over Maduro’s removal.
Later on Saturday, President Trump affirmed that the U.S. will “govern [Venezuela] until there is a safe, proper and judicious transition,” and claimed that Maduro and Flores are now en route to New York, where they will face criminal charges.
The American President also dismissed opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado leading Venezuela:
“It will be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn’t have the support or the respect within the country. She’s a very nice woman, but she doesn’t have the respect,” he noted at a Saturday morning press conference.
Featured image: Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) John Ratcliffe and U.S. President Donald Trump.
Source: Donald Trump via Truth Social
