Leaders of Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, Iran and Brazil oppose U.S. strike that led to capture of Maduro

The leaders of Colombia, Mexico, Cuba and Brazil have come out against President Trump’s strike in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro.

“We have just concluded the National Security Council meeting, which began at 3 a.m. Public forces are being deployed to the border, and all available support forces will be deployed in the event of a massive influx of refugees. The Colombian Embassy in Venezuela is active and responding to calls for assistance from Colombians in Venezuela. As members of the United Nations Security Council, we seek to convene the Council,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote Saturday on X, translated from Spanish.

“The Government of Colombia rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America. Internal conflicts between peoples are resolved by those same peoples in peace. That is the principle of the self-determination of peoples, which forms the foundation of the United Nations system. I invite the Venezuelan people to find the paths of civil dialogue and their unity. Without sovereignty, there is no nation. Peace is the way, and dialogue between peoples is fundamental for national unity. Dialogue and more dialogue is our proposal,” he added.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the strike in Venezuela was a “serious affront” to the country’s sovereignty.

The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line. These acts represent a most serious affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community,” he wrote on X. ” Attacking countries, in flagrant violation of international law, is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the strongest prevails over multilateralism.”

He called on the United Nations to “respond vigorously” to the attacks.

The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a formal statement that the U.S. strikes violated Article 2 of the U.N. charter.

“Based on its foreign policy principles and its pacifist vocation, Mexico makes an urgent call to respect international law, as well as the principles and purposes of the U.N. Charter, and to cease any act of aggression against the Venezuelan government and people,” the statement said, according to a translation from Spanish. “Latin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the basis of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the prohibition of the use and threat of force, so any military action seriously jeopardizes regional stability.”

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, said the operation to capture Maduro was a “criminal attack,” adding that “our zone of peace is being brutally assaulted.”

The Iranian Foreign Ministry, Russia and China also condemned the attack.

“The US military aggression against an independent state that is a member of the United Nations is a gross violation of regional and international peace and security, the consequences of which will affect the entire international system,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the strikes in Venezuela are an “act of armed aggression against Venezuela” and any “excuses” justifying the actions are “untenable.”

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson released a statement on Saturday.

“China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the US’s blatant use of force against a sovereign state and action against its president,” the spokesperson said.