The world is responding with alarm after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela, claiming that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country. The operation, Trump said on Truth Social, was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.”

Venezuelan Reaction

Maduro’s government denounced the attack as “extremely serious military aggression,” calling on the international community to condemn the U.S. operation.

“Venezuela rejects, repudiates, and denounces before the international community the extremely serious military aggression perpetrated by the current government of the United States of America against Venezuelan territory and people,” the statement read.

Regional Responses

• Colombia: President Gustavo Petro called the strike an attack on Venezuela and urged that peace, respect for international law, and the protection of life take precedence over armed confrontation.
• Cuba: President Miguel Díaz-Canel condemned the attack as “criminal” and “state terrorism”, saying it violated the peace of the region. Cuban embassies worldwide echoed calls for urgent international action.
• Iran: The Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the U.S. strike, highlighting a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty.
• Russia: The Foreign Ministry reaffirmed solidarity with Venezuela and its leadership, emphasizing that the country should determine its own destiny without foreign military intervention.

The U.S. strikes mark a dramatic escalation in tensions that Venezuelans had feared for weeks. Reports of explosions and low-flying aircraft were confirmed in Caracas early Saturday.

This event is expected to have major implications for regional stability, international law, and U.S.-Latin America relations, as global leaders monitor developments closely.