Beijing — China has strongly denounced the United States for its military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, calling on Washington to “immediately” release them and cease violating other countries’ sovereignty.
In a statement issued by its Foreign Ministry on Saturday, Beijing described the U.S. actions as a “blatant use of force against a sovereign state” and “hegemonic behavior” that seriously violates international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter. “China is deeply shocked and strongly condemns the U.S.’s brazen actions,” the ministry said, adding that the strikes and capture threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The ministry explicitly urged the U.S. to ensure the personal safety of Maduro and his wife, release them without delay, halt efforts to subvert the Venezuelan government, and resolve the crisis through dialogue and negotiation.
China’s sharp rebuke comes amid a wave of international reactions to the dramatic U.S. operation, dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” which unfolded in the early hours of January 3. President Donald Trump announced that U.S. forces had conducted a “large-scale strike” on targets in Caracas, enabling elite Delta Force commandos to extract Maduro and Flores from a fortified location in the capital. The couple was subsequently transferred to New York, where Maduro faces long-standing U.S. federal charges of narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses.
Trump stated that the U.S. would temporarily “run” Venezuela to facilitate a transition and tap its oil reserves, drawing praise from some Republican lawmakers and Venezuelan opposition figures but alarm from others over potential precedents for international law.
Russia echoed China’s condemnation, demanding Maduro’s release and describing him as the “legally elected president of a sovereign state.” Several Latin American nations, including Mexico and Brazil, also criticized the intervention as a violation of sovereignty, while others expressed cautious support or restraint.
The United Nations expressed deep concern, with Secretary-General António Guterres warning of a “dangerous precedent.” An emergency UN Security Council meeting has been scheduled for Monday at the request of Colombia, backed by Russia and China.
As Maduro arrived in U.S. custody in New York on Saturday evening, global tensions escalated, highlighting deepening divisions over the unprecedented U.S. action against a sitting head of state.