BRUSSELS, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. forcible seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife from their residence has stunned the world and sparked widespread outrage.
However, Western countries -- longtime U.S. allies and self-styled guardians of human rights -- found themselves in a diplomatic bind, as they offered ambiguous responses, distancing themselves from the actions while stressing the need to respect international law and refraining from direct criticism.
"European leaders cannot issue a fully clear position, and they are effectively trying to straddle the middle ground," said Cui Hongjian, director of the European studies department at Beijing Foreign Studies University, as cited in a report by the South China Morning Post.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain was "not involved in any way" in the U.S. operation in Venezuela. Starmer, a former lawyer specialising in human rights, told the media that "I always say and believe we should all uphold international law." However, he did not say whether he thought the U.S. military actions broke it.
In an X post on Sunday, Starmer said Britain would "establish all the facts" in what was a fast-moving situation. In a later post, he said the country "has long supported a transition of power in Venezuela. We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate President and we shed no tears about the end of his regime."
An analysis published by The Guardian on Sunday noted that "European leaders emerged divided and torn" in their response to Maduro's seizure, but they still expressed their commitment to upholding international law "that did not appear to allow (U.S. President) Donald Trump to seize Nicolas Maduro, let alone declare that the U.S. will run Venezuela and control its oil industry."
On social media X, European Council President Antonio Costa said the European Union (EU) was following the situation in Venezuela "with great concern" and urged de-escalation, calling for a resolution in full respect of international law and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. He reaffirmed the EU's support for a peaceful, democratic and inclusive solution in Venezuela.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas had also called for restraint, stressing that the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected.
The upcoming transition must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people, said French President Emmanuel Macron in a social media post on Saturday.
"Passing legal judgment on the US operation is complex. We will take the time needed," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement, stressing that international law should be followed.
"Dramatic development in Venezuela, which we are following closely. We need to get back on track toward de-escalation and dialogue. International law must be respected," Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen wrote on X.
"Some statements from the EU were quite hypocritical," said Hrvoje Klasic, a Croatian historian and professor at the University of Zagreb. "The EU should have developed an exit strategy from that so-called alliance a long time ago, because it is no longer that, it is servitude to the USA." "The world is going in a very dangerous direction," he was cited by news portal KoSSev as saying.
Among Western countries, Spain and Latin American countries share deep cultural and historical ties, and their statements are closely watched. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a social media post on Saturday that Spain did not recognize the Maduro administration. But neither will it recognize an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and belligerence.
The U.S. actions "constitute an extremely dangerous precedent for peace and regional security," said a joint statement released by Spain and five Latin American countries (Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay).
These countries reiterated that "the situation in Venezuela must be resolved exclusively by peaceful means, through dialogue, negotiation, and respect for the will of the Venezuelan people in all its expressions, without external interference and in accordance with international law." ■
