New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram/Moscow/Brussels–The US military operation against Venezuela, which President Donald Trump said resulted in airstrikes and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, has triggered sharp reactions across India, Russia and Europe, with widespread condemnation, calls for restraint, and demands for adherence to international law.
In India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the United States, describing the action as “imperialist military aggression” and urging the international community to condemn it. Vijayan accused Washington of behaving like a “rogue state” and unleashing open hostility against countries of the Global South.
Reacting to reports of airstrikes on strategic and civilian locations in Venezuela, the Kerala Chief Minister said the bombing amounted to an act of terrorism and posed a serious threat to peace in Latin America, a region with a long history of resistance to foreign intervention. In a social media post, he called on progressive forces worldwide to unite against what he described as imperialist moves undermining global peace.
CPI(M) General Secretary M.A. Baby echoed these concerns, calling the US action “shocking and painful” and alleging that a “naked aggression” had been launched under the orders of President Trump against a country friendly to India and a member of the Non-Aligned Movement. He noted that India and Venezuela were among the founding members of the International Solar Alliance and said New Delhi had a responsibility to publicly condemn the military action.
The CPI(M) Politburo, in a separate statement, urged the Indian people to stage strong protests against the US assault. The statement alleged that residential areas in Caracas and surrounding regions were hit by multiple airstrikes, endangering civilian lives, and warned that the escalation marked a dangerous intensification of long-standing US pressure on Venezuela. The Politburo also demanded clarity on the fate of President Maduro and his wife, asking the US to provide proof of their safety and disclose their whereabouts if they were alive. It called on Washington to respect the UN Charter and warned that continued violations of sovereignty could destabilise Latin America and threaten global peace.
Russia also issued a strong rebuke. Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council, said the US military operation had no legitimate basis, arguing that Venezuela posed no threat—military, humanitarian, criminal or otherwise—to the United States. Writing on Telegram, he said the action violated international law and reflected an attempt to impose rules unilaterally rather than uphold established global norms.
Moscow’s Foreign Ministry earlier described the US move as “deeply concerning” and condemnable, saying the justifications offered were untenable and that ideological hostility had overridden pragmatic diplomacy. Russia called for dialogue, warned against further escalation, and reiterated that Latin America must remain a “zone of peace,” as declared by the region in 2014. It expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people and backed calls by Venezuela and several Latin American countries for an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.
The European Union, while stopping short of condemnation, urged restraint and de-escalation. European Council President Antonio Costa said the EU was following developments “with great concern” and called for a resolution in full respect of international law and the principles of the UN Charter. He said the bloc would continue to support a peaceful, democratic and inclusive solution in Venezuela.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she had spoken with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the EU ambassador in Caracas, stressing that the safety of EU citizens in Venezuela was the bloc’s top priority. She reiterated the need for restraint and respect for international law.
The reactions came after President Trump announced that the United States had carried out large-scale strikes against Venezuela and captured President Maduro and his wife, who were flown out of the country. Venezuelan authorities have denounced the action as “military aggression,” after reports of explosions and aircraft over Caracas earlier on Saturday.
As diplomatic fallout continues to build, calls from multiple capitals for de-escalation, transparency and respect for international law underscore growing global concern over the implications of the US action for regional stability and global peace. (Source: IANS)
