EU urges respect for international law after US capture of Maduro

The European Union urged the adherence to international law after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro early Saturday.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife “will soon face the full wrath of American justice” after they were flown out of Venezuela following a U.S. attack that Trump called a “large-scale strike.” 

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU “is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela” after the capture of Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

“The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr. Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition,” Kallas said in a post on X on Saturday.

“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the U.N. Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” she said.

Kallas said she had spoken with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the EU’s ambassador in Caracas.

Rubio told several U.S. lawmakers that Maduro and his wife had been “arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States.” In a post on X, Bondi said “two alleged international narco traffickers” will face justice under an indictment in the Southern District of New York.

When asked to react to the Venezuela operation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy laughed cheekily. “Well, if you can do this to dictators, the U.S. knows who can be next,” Zelenskyy told journalists in Kyiv on Saturday evening.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola cheered the removal of Maduro. 

“People in Venezuela deserve to live free after years of oppression. As the European Parliament has consistently affirmed, we do not consider Nicolás Maduro to be the legitimate, elected leader of Venezuela,” Metsola said on X.

“The coming hours and days will be critical,” Metsola said.

The European Parliament “has always called for full respect for international law, support for democracy and recognition of the legitimate will of the people of Venezuela,” Metsola said.

The prime ministers of Italy and Spain were among European leaders who said they were closely monitoring developments in Venezuela.

“We urge everyone to de-escalate the situation and act responsibly. International law and the principles of the U.N. Charter must be respected,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said said in a post on X.