US Intervention In Venezuela Sparks Concern Among Allies And Rivals

US Intervention in Venezuela Sparks Alarm, Among Allies and Rivals VENEZUELA Venezuela The United States’ move to remove Venezuela’s president and “run” the country until a “proper transition” takes place sparked mix reactions in Latin America over the weekend, with some celebrating the ouster and others fearing for the stability of the region, NPR reported. Early Saturday, the US military carried out airstrikes in Caracas and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The couple was taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima and later flown to New York, where they are expected to face federal charges, including drug trafficking, ties to narco-gangs designated as terrorist organizations, and weapons offenses, CBS News added. Following the capture, US President Donald Trump said Washington would govern Venezuela for the foreseeable future, without providing details on how or for how long. He added that the US would take control of Venezuela’s oil industry and said American energy companies would move into the country. Trump also claimed Maduro’s removal would allow hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who fled to the US to return home. Meanwhile, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as interim leader shortly after Maduro’s removal. While the US has claimed the interim president will do “whatever the US asks,” Rodriguez has publicly condemned the military operation and said Maduro is the “only president.” She rejected notions that Venezuela would become “a colony of an empire,” with officials describing the attack as an attempt to steal the country’s resources, according to the BBC. But on Sunday, Rodriguez said she hopes to have a “balanced and respectful” relationship with the US “based on sovereign equality and non-interference,” CBS added. At the same time, Trump dismissed placing opposition leader and Nobel Laureate María Corina Machado as the country’s next leader, insisting that she “doesn’t have the support” within Venezuela, the Hill noted. Still, analysts said questions remain over US governance in the aftermath of the president’s removal, as Maduro’s allies retain significant influence. Saturday’s operation marked the culmination of a long-running dispute between the Trump administration and Maduro’s regime, which has faced international criticism over human rights abuses, disputed elections, and economic mismanagement. Trump has accused Maduro’s administration of fueling migration to the US and facilitating drug trafficking, including fentanyl and cocaine – claims Caracas denies. Those tensions prompted earlier US strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific. Analysts said the operation represents Washington’s first openly acknowledged military strike against a South American government, reviving memories of US interventions in the region during the 20th century. The move sparked concern across Latin America, particularly among leftist governments that have been critical of Washington, including Cuba and Colombia, who worry that they may be next, the Washington Post reported. Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the strikes as “state terrorism,” while his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro called them an “assault on sovereignty.” Petro and Trump have also traded barbs in the past over the US operations in the Caribbean. Brazilian and Mexican officials also criticized the US actions. Meanwhile, Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei – an ally of Trump – hailed the operation, writing “freedom moves forward” and “long live freedom” on social media. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa also welcomed Maduro’s arrest, as did Bolivia’s new leadership. Venezuela’s allies, Russia, China, and Iran, condemned the action and called for Maduro’s release. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said he was deeply concerned that “the rules of international law have not been respected.” European allies offered more cautious reactions. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said his government would “shed no tears” over Maduro’s arrest, while Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned that, despite Madrid’s refusal to recognize Maduro’s legitimacy, the US operation “violates international law and pushes the region toward uncertainty.”