标签： Jamaica

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Caribbean leaders have adopted a position of cautious deliberation as Venezuela faces unprecedented political turmoil following the dramatic detainment of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife by United States authorities. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley characterized the rapidly evolving situation as “uncharted territory” during an emergency press conference on Saturday.

The emergency response was coordinated through the Caribbean Community (Caricom), with Mottley confirming she had been in contact with fellow regional leaders and Caricom Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett since early morning. An urgent pre-dawn meeting of Caricom heads yielded a consensus to withhold definitive commentary until more information emerges about the extraordinary developments.

Mottley emphasized Barbados’s fundamental foreign policy principle: “Small states can only survive in the international rules-based order.” This foundational position informs Bridgetown’s grave concern about any actions that undermine established international norms. The Prime Minister noted that both Venezuela and the United States maintain friendly relations with Barbados, creating a delicate diplomatic balancing act.

The crisis escalated when former U.S. President Donald Trump announced American intentions to administer Venezuela temporarily while facilitating a “safe, proper and judicious transition.” Trump further pledged that U.S. oil companies would rehabilitate Venezuela’s infrastructure. These statements contrasted sharply with Venezuela’s Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez’s assertion that Maduro remains the country’s legitimate president, despite photographic evidence circulated by Trump showing Maduro blindfolded aboard the USS Iwo Jima.

Maduro faces serious indictments in New York federal court on narcotics and weapons charges, with the U.S. having previously offered a $50 million bounty for information leading to his capture. Venezuela has responded by declaring a national emergency and condemning what it terms “extremely serious military aggression.”

Mottley urged patience as the situation continues to develop hourly, describing any premature statement as mere “conjecture.” She expressed hope for de-escalation and dialogue rather than continued conflict, emphasizing that war serves no nation’s interests. The Prime Minister anticipates United Nations involvement to properly address the escalating international crisis.

BEIJING — The Chinese government issued a forceful condemnation on Saturday against United States military operations in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. In an official statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China characterized the American actions as a flagrant violation of international legal standards and an infringement upon Venezuela’s national sovereignty.

The statement expressed profound shock at what it termed ‘hegemonic behavior’ by the United States, warning that such military aggression threatens regional stability throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Chinese officials emphasized their firm opposition to unilateral military interventions against sovereign states, regardless of the circumstances.

The development comes amid dramatic scenes in both Venezuela and abroad. In Caracas, supporters of President Maduro gathered in the streets following news of his capture by US forces. Simultaneously, Venezuelan expatriates in Madrid celebrated the military operation that targeted Maduro’s government.

President Donald Trump confirmed on January 3, 2026, that American forces had successfully captured Maduro following extensive airstrikes on Caracas and other Venezuelan cities. This military action represents the culmination of a prolonged geopolitical confrontation between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan leadership.

China’s statement reflects growing international concern over the precedent set by military intervention in sovereign nations and highlights the deepening diplomatic divisions between global powers regarding appropriate responses to political crises.

PARIS, France — The French government issued a stern condemnation on Saturday regarding the United States-led military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, denouncing it as a violation of fundamental international legal principles. Concurrently, Russia demanded the immediate release of the detained Venezuelan leader and his wife.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot articulated the nation’s position through a formal statement on social media platform X, acknowledging Maduro’s record of human rights violations against Venezuelan citizens while simultaneously condemning the American intervention. Minister Barrot emphasized that the operation “contravenes the principle of non-use of force, which serves as a cornerstone of international law.”

The French diplomatic statement further cautioned that escalating violations of this fundamental principle by permanent members of the United Nations Security Council would inevitably yield “serious consequences for global security, sparing no nation.” Barrot underscored that sustainable political resolutions cannot be externally imposed, reflecting France’s commitment to diplomatic norms and multilateral governance structures.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued multiple statements expressing profound alarm over the development, characterizing the American operation as “an act of armed aggression against Venezuela.” Russian officials dismissed Washington’s justifications for the intervention as “untenable,” asserting that “ideological hostility has triumphed over businesslike pragmatism” in American foreign policy decision-making.

The Kremlin demanded immediate clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding Maduro’s apprehension and called for the unconditional release of both the Venezuelan president and his spouse. Russia, which had reaffirmed its support for Maduro following his controversial re-election in 2024 and remains Venezuela’s principal strategic ally in South America, stopped short of explicitly committing military assistance to Caracas in potential confrontations with the United States.

The coordinated responses from both European and Russian diplomatic channels highlight growing international concern over unilateral military actions and their implications for global security architecture. The developments mark a significant escalation in the ongoing Venezuelan political crisis that has drawn in major world powers with competing geopolitical interests.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a significant airspace advisory on Saturday, directing commercial carriers to avoid portions of Caribbean airspace. The directive cited an ongoing ‘potentially hazardous situation’ linked to U.S. military operations, which culminated in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The aviation alert specifically warned of ‘safety-of-flight risks associated with ongoing military activity,’ effectively creating a no-fly zone for commercial aviation in the specified region. This precautionary measure underscores the scale and sensitivity of the military action undertaken.

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed the successful capture of the Venezuelan leader, describing it as the result of a ‘large-scale strike’ conducted on Venezuelan territory. This decisive military intervention represents a dramatic escalation in a prolonged campaign of pressure against Maduro’s government.

The operation follows an extensive period where the U.S. applied intensifying economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation tactics targeting Maduro’s socialist regime and its oil-dependent economy. Notably, this military action occurred just 48 hours after Maduro had extended an overture to the Trump administration, proposing bilateral cooperation on critical issues such as narcotics trafficking and illegal migration control.