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The early Saturday morning capture of former Venezuelan leader and notorious drug trafficker Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces has sparked a wave of reactions worldwide. As anticipated, nations like China, Iran, and Russia have been quick to denounce the operation. In contrast, responses from European leaders appear disappointingly uniform, offering little in the way of concrete action or insight.
Most European statements can be distilled to a common refrain: while acknowledging Maduro’s negative impact, they emphasize adherence to international law, deference to the United Nations, and the pursuit of diplomatic solutions to Venezuela’s prolonged crisis. This approach persists despite the undeniable fact that such strategies have repeatedly failed over the past 13 years, during which Maduro systematically dismantled his country’s infrastructure and suppressed its populace.
Beneath their carefully crafted words lies a subtle undertone of gratitude toward the U.S. for addressing an issue that has long plagued the international community. It’s as if these leaders are effectively saying, “We won’t openly support your actions, but we appreciate that someone has finally acted.”
Take, for instance, the response from French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who seems to attempt a delicate balancing act:
Translated:
En confisquant le pouvoir au peuple vénézuélien, en le privant de ses libertés fondamentales, Nicolás Maduro a porté une atteinte grave à sa dignité et à son droit à l’auto-détermination. La France s’est engagée avec constance, notamment par ses actions de médiation, en faveur du…
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) January 3, 2026
Translated :
By confiscating power from the Venezuelan people and depriving them of their fundamental freedoms, Nicolás Maduro has gravely undermined their dignity and their right to self-determination. France has consistently committed itself, particularly through its mediation efforts, to upholding the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people, whose voice must take precedence.
But:
The military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro violates the principle of non-resort to force that underpins international law. France recalls that no lasting political solution can be imposed from the outside and that sovereign peoples alone decide their future.