Venezuela’s Maduro captured, Canada and world leaders react

At Saturday's press conference, Trump

said US oil companies would invest billions, calling the Venezuelan oil business a “total collapse for an extended period of time.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores will face charges following their arraignment in New York. Bondi vowed in a social media post that the couple “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”

Maduro and other Venezuelan officials were charged in 2020 with conspiracy to commit “narco-terrorism,” but it was not previously known that this was against his wife, and it is unclear whether Bondi was referring to the new charge.

The Venezuelan government called it an “imperialist attack” and called on citizens to take to the streets. The attack comes after months of rising tensions between the US and Venezuela.

Prime Minister Mark Carney released a statement early Saturday night saying Canada “welcomes the opportunity for freedom, democracy, peace and prosperity for the Venezuelan people.” He added that Canada has not recognized “the illegitimate Maduro regime since it stole the 2018 election.”

“Canada has long supported a peaceful, negotiated transition process led by Venezuela that respects the democratic will of the Venezuelan people,” he said.

Carney said his government in March imposed additional sanctions against Maduro's “brutally repressive and criminal regime” and condemned its “violations of international peace and security.”

The Prime Minister also said that “Canada calls on all parties to respect international law.”

Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who also called for “respect for international law,” said in a statement Saturday morning that the government stands with Venezuelans and their desire to live “in a peaceful and democratic society.”

She said Canada is closely monitoring the situation with its international partners.

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre congratulated the Trump administration on the operation, adding that Maduro should “live out his days in prison.”

The political climate in Venezuela has led to a reduction in Canada's diplomatic presence in recent years. In 2019, the Canadian government announced that their diplomats could no longer obtain accreditation under the Maduro regime and their visas were expiring.

“We therefore have no choice but to temporarily suspend our activities at the Canadian Embassy in Venezuela, effective immediately,” said then-Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Her statement criticized Maduro's “illegitimate regime” and called for a “full return to democracy.” It says Canadians in Venezuela can instead seek consular assistance in Bogota, Colombia, and notes official travel advisories urging against all travel to Venezuela — travel advisories that remain in effect until early this year.

Global Affairs Canada updated its travel advisory for Venezuela, saying the situation following the US strikes is “tense and could escalate quickly.” He advises people to avoid all travel to the country.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, together with the country's Foreign Ministry, “strongly condemned” the US military operation in Venezuela, reports online application.

Sheinbaum and the government stressed that the strike was a “clear violation” of Article 2 of the United Nations (UN) Charter and called on the UN to work toward immediate de-escalation.

Zohran Mamdani, the new mayor of New York, wrote on X that he was informed on Saturday of the “planned federal custody” of Maduro and his wife in New York.

Mamdani called the US attack on Venezuela “an act of war,” adding that it was a “violation of federal and international law.”

“This blatant push for regime change not only affects those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including the tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home,” he said.

In a series of social media posts, the president of Colombia, which borders Venezuela, condemned the US bombing of Caracas.

According to Petro, the country will deploy government forces at the border to provide support in the event of an influx of refugees.

In a separate postPetro said: “The Republic of Colombia reaffirms its conviction that peace, respect for international law and the protection of life and human dignity must prevail over any form of armed confrontation.”

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez said in X: “Cuba condemns and urgently demands a response from the international community to the criminal US attack on Venezuela.”

On the other hand, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa appeared to express support for the outcome of the operation.

“To Maria Corina Machado, Edmundo Gonzalez (Venezuelan opposition leaders) and the people of Venezuela: it is time to take back your country. You have an ally in Ecuador,” Noboa wrote in a message on X.

In Chile, outgoing President Gabriel Boric Font expressed “concern and condemnation” of US strikes in Venezuela.

“The Venezuelan crisis must be resolved through dialogue and support for multilateralism, not through violence or foreign intervention,” Boric Font said.

In a message to X, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also condemned the attack, saying the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and the US strikes “crossed an unacceptable line.”

“These actions represent the most serious affront to Venezuelan sovereignty and another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union was closely monitoring the situation and “supports the people of Venezuela” in a peaceful and democratic transition.

The head of the EU executive called for respect for “international law and the UN Charter.”

The European Union's top foreign policy diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called for restraint and respect for international law after the US strikes.

“In all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected,” she said in a statement. post on X.

Callas said the European Union has repeatedly said Venezuelan President Maduro “lacks legitimacy” and has advocated a “peaceful transfer of power.”

Spanish President Pedro Sánchez and the Spanish Foreign Ministry echoed the EU in calling for “de-escalation” and respect for international law. in the statement.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the Venezuelan people “today are free of the dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro and can only rejoice.”

He called for a transition that respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

In the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain was “not involved in any way” in the US operation and that he had asked for more information before commenting.

“Obviously the situation is changing quickly and we need to establish all the facts,” he told the British broadcaster. SKY News.

“It must be clearly and immediately condemned by the UN and all states that are committed to the rule of law and international peace and security,” they wrote.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs People's Republic of China In a statement, they said they “strongly oppose” US strikes on Venezuela, calling on the American government to “respect international law.”

Meanwhile, Russia's Foreign Ministry called the US attack “deeply concerning” and “condemnable.”

“We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our support for the policies pursued by the Bolivarian leadership to protect the national interests and sovereignty of the country,” – the ministry wrote in an online statement.

With files from The Associated Press