A Europe-based anti-imperialist coalition has strongly condemned the United States over what it describes as the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, warning that the operation represents a serious breach of international law and a threat to global peace.
In a statement issued on January 3, the International Anti-Imperialist Cumbe (European Chapter) alleged that the US carried out a large-scale military assault on Venezuelan territory in the early hours of the day, resulting in the seizure of Maduro and Flores.
“This act constitutes a violation of international law, an assault on sovereignty, and a direct attack on global peace,” the coalition said.
The group added that the operation was carried out unilaterally, without provocation or international mandate, and in open disregard for the United Nations Charter.
Washington confirmed that Maduro and Flores were taken into US custody and transferred to New York, where they are being held at a federal detention facility.
US officials said the arrests relate to long-standing indictments alleging drug trafficking and collusion with criminal networks, charges consistently rejected by the Venezuelan government.
President Donald Trump defended the operation, asserting that it was necessary to protect US security interests and combat transnational crime.
He stated that the United States would oversee Venezuela until a proper transition of government could be achieved.
Cumbe rejected Washington’s justification, calling the forced removal of a sitting president “an act of piracy, state terrorism, and neo-colonial aggression.”
The coalition warned that the assault marked a dangerous escalation of US interventionism in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“Sovereignty is the cornerstone of international coexistence, the violation of Venezuelan airspace, territorial waters, and political institutions is an attack not only on Venezuela but on the entire framework of territorial integrity that protects nations from external domination,” the group said.
Cumbe also accused Trump of exposing the US’s motives during his press briefing, pointing to remarks about Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
“These declarations expose the true nature of this assault: a colonial seizure disguised as humanitarian concern,” the coalition said.
The statement further criticised Venezuelan opposition figures based in Florida, accusing them of collaborating with US interests.
“A political enclave aligned with US interests, advocating sanctions, destabilisation, and now the justification of military intervention, from Miami, these elites have promoted narratives that serve foreign corporations and geopolitical agendas, not the Venezuelan people,” Cumbe said.
The coalition called for the immediate and unconditional release of Maduro and Flores, an end to US military operations against Venezuela, and a return to diplomacy.
“This aggression threatens all nations resisting imperial domination,” it added, urging global condemnation and warning that continued escalation could destabilise the region and undermine international law.
International reactions have been mixed, with Russia condemning the operation, Spain warning of a dangerous precedent, and the European Union expressing cautious support for a potential Venezuelan-led political transition while reaffirming the principles of sovereignty and international law.
