The United States on Saturday carried out a military strike on Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro, who has since been taken out of the country, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday.
Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, along with the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira were reportedly attacked, the Venezuelan government said in a statement.
At least seven explosions were reported and low-flying aircraft were heard around 2 am (local time) on Saturday in the capital city.
The strike follows US allegations that Maduro has turned Venezuela into a “narco-state” and manipulated election. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan leader, who succeeded Hugo Chavez to take power in 2013, has countered that Washington’s real aim is to seize control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, the largest in the world, reuters reported.
Several world leaders and politicians have reacted to the news, with some condemning the attack and expressing concern over the growing tensions.
Cuba’s President condemns the attack
Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez strongly condemned the US attack on social media, calling it a “criminal attack” against Venezuela and urging the international community to respond quickly.
In a post on
He concluded the statement with the revolutionary slogan: “Homeland or Death, We Shall Overcome.”
Iran also opposes the attack on Venezuela
Iran’s foreign ministry also gave a sharp reaction to the explosions that rocked the capital city of Venezuela.
According to AFPthe ministry said in a statement that it “strongly condemns the American military attack on Venezuela and the flagrant violation of the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country”.
Iran’s statement was reportedly put out before Donald Trump’s Truth Social post confirming that the US had conducted “a large scale strike” on Venezuela.
Colombian President reacts to the strikes
“The Government of Colombia rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote on the social media platform X.
“The Republic of Colombia reiterates its conviction that peace, respect for international law, and the protection of life and human dignity must prevail over any form of armed confrontation,” Petro said another tweet.
