U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Venezuelan authorities were aware of the upcoming operation intended to capture Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez took the oath of office as interim president on January 5, following recognition by Venezuela’s Supreme Court on January 4.
On January 5, Nicolas Maduro appeared before a New York Federal Court, declaring his innocence and asserting that he remained Venezuela’s president. The court agreed to schedule consular visits to Venezuela and set a hearing for March 17.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced on January 5 that the United States had violated international law in Venezuela, noting that the country’s future after the U.S. operation remains uncertain and raises significant concern.
Russia’s representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzia, stated on January 5 that U.S. actions were giving new impetus to neocolonialism and imperialism, which he said are rejected by regional peoples. He expressed hope that international robbery would be assessed using UN mechanisms and called for an end to double standards.
On January 3, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the United States had successfully launched a large-scale strike against Venezuela, capturing Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores, who were taken from Venezuelan territory. The Russian Foreign Ministry urged the U.S. leadership to release Maduro.
