China, Russia and Iran condemn the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, calling it a violation of international law as global tensions escalate.
China has joined Russia and Iran in condemning the capture and removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by United States forces, describing the operation as a grave violation of international law and calling for his immediate release.
In a statement issued Sunday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it was “gravely concerned” by reports that President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were forcibly seized and taken out of Venezuela by the United States.
“China expresses grave concern over the US forcibly seizing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country,” the MFA said.
“The US move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms of international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.”
Beijing urged Washington to guarantee the personal safety of Maduro and Flores, release them without delay, halt what it described as efforts to topple Venezuela’s government, and resolve differences through dialogue rather than force.
“China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela, and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation,” the statement added.
Russia issued a parallel denunciation, with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs describing the US action as an act of “armed aggression” against a sovereign state.
“This morning, the United States carried out an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This causes deep concern and condemnation,” Moscow said.
‘Ideologised hostility’
The ministry dismissed US justifications for the operation as “untenable,” accusing Washington of allowing “ideologised hostility” to override international norms and pragmatic engagement.
Russia warned against further escalation, stressing that Latin America should remain a zone of peace.
“Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as declared in 2014,” the statement said, adding that Venezuela must be allowed to determine its own destiny “without destructive, let alone military, interference from outside.”
Moscow reaffirmed its solidarity with the Venezuelan people and expressed support for calls by Venezuela and several Latin American states for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The Russian Embassy in Caracas said it was operating normally and maintaining close contact with Venezuelan authorities, adding that there were no reports of Russian citizens being harmed.
Iran also weighed in, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling for resistance against what he described as US aggression.
“What matters is that when a nation realises the enemy is arrogantly trying to impose its will on the country, its officials and its people, one must stand firmly and resist,” Khamenei said.
“We will not yield to the enemy.”
He added that with faith and popular support, “by divine grace, we will bring the enemy to its knees.”
US to ‘run’ Venezuela
His remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump warned that the United States was “locked and loaded” to strike Iran should it target protesters who have demonstrated in recent weeks.
President Trump has defended the operation against Maduro, framing it as both a law enforcement and strategic intervention.
Speaking at a news conference, Trump said the United States would “run” Venezuela following what he described as a leadership vacuum.
“We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly,” Trump said.
He argued that Venezuela’s oil industry had been “a total bust for a long period of time” and claimed US involvement could revive it.
“We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said.
Venezuela is estimated to hold about 303 billion barrels of crude oil—the largest proven reserves in the world.
Following his arrest in Caracas, Maduro was flown out of Venezuela aboard a US helicopter and taken to the USS Iwo Jima, where a photograph of him was later shared by Trump on his Truth Social platform.
He was subsequently transported to New York via Cuba.
Upon arrival, Maduro was first taken to the offices of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Manhattan before being transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn at about 8:52pm ET on Saturday.
Multiple charges
US Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed that Maduro and his wife had been indicted in the Southern District of New York on multiple charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and illegal possession of military-grade weapons.
“Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York,” Bondi said.
“Mr Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.”
Bondi praised President Trump’s “decisive leadership” and described the operation that led to the couple’s capture as “incredible and highly successful.”
The arrests followed overnight air and missile strikes across Venezuela, prompting authorities in Caracas to declare a nationwide state of emergency.
Venezuelan officials reported explosions at both civilian and military sites in Caracas, as well as in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
Videos circulating on social media showed low-flying aircraft and plumes of smoke, though the footage could not be independently verified.
Caracas condemned the operation as a “grave act of military aggression,” accusing Washington of violating the UN Charter and seeking to undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty and seize its strategic resources.
The government said it would raise the matter at the UN Security Council, the office of the UN Secretary-General, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Non-Aligned Movement.
Regional leaders reacted sharply.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called for urgent international action, urging the United Nations and the Organization of American States to convene emergency meetings.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel denounced the operation as a “criminal attack,” warning that peace in Latin America and the Caribbean was at serious risk. By
