Dialogos

International Outcry Over US Kidnapping of Maduro

Published January 6, 2026, 09:01
International Outcry Over US Kidnapping of Maduro

The kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro by the US has sparked international outrage. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on all parties to engage in dialogue and described the operation as a violation of international law. Colombia denounced the operation as a blatant violation of Venezuela's sovereignty, while Russia, China, and Venezuela itself demanded the release of Maduro and his wife. The US justifies the operation as a "surgical enforcement of the law", while Venezuela describes it as an illegal armed attack. Russia and China compared the US action to previous interventions, such as the invasion of Iraq in 2003.