The abduction and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ignited a sharp political confrontation between Washington and Beijing.
China has demanded that that America “immediately release” Maduro and his wife, holding the US administration fully responsible for their safety.
Beijing called the assault on Caracas and the arrest of a sovereign head of state as a “clear violation of international law” and an attempt to overthrow a legitimate government by force, warning of grave consequences for regional and international stability.
This escalation comes as Washington moves forward with Maduro’s trial in New York, while President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies its regional rhetoric regarding an ‘alternative administration’ for Venezuela.
Furthermore, the US administration has brazenly declared its intent to seize control of Venezuela’s oil sector and prepared for additional military surges.
These developments suggest the crisis is shifting from a bilateral conflict into a broader arena of confrontation between major powers over influence in Latin America.
Washington claims that Maduro’s arrest was carried out under a law enforcement framework and the fight against transnational organized crime, maintaining that the measures taken were strictly judicial and legal.
It further added that “the US is moving forward with managing the next phase in Venezuela to achieve,” in its words, “international stability and interests.”
Beijing meanwhile underscored the necessity of the immediate release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and ensuring their safety.
It characterized the US’s actions as a ‘flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter,’ warning of grave repercussions for both regional and international stability.
In Caracas, the interim government declared a state of “total mobilization,” accusing Washington of launching a “dangerous military aggression” against the nation.
This coincided with Washington’s announcement that President Maduro has been placed in a detention center in Brooklyn, pending his appearance before a federal court in Manhattan to face charges related to drug and weapons trafficking—allegations made by the White House in a move that has sparked widespread international outcry and fears of severe regional and global consequences.
A shocking operation
Earlier in January, explosions in Venezuela shocked the world amid conflicting reports of the unfolding events. Shortly thereafter, the US administration confirmed the execution of a military operation in the Latin American nation, announcing the arrest of its president and his wife, and their subsequent extraction by air to stand trial in US.
In this unprecedented military operation, American forces carried out a lightning air raid on Caracas on Saturday, January 3.
The operation resulted in the abduction of Maduro and his wife from their residence, after which they were flown to New York to face charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine.
US President Donald Trump announced the success of “Operation Absolute Resolve,” asserting that the US would temporarily manage Venezuela and rebuild its oil industry.
This comes amid fierce international condemnation from China, Russia, and Latin American nations, who described the move as “brazen imperialist aggression” and a flagrant violation of international law.
The crisis threatens a global escalation, sparking fears of a regional war that places the world’s largest oil reserves at the center of a conflict between major superpowers.
Pending trial in the US
US authorities on Sunday decided placed the abducted Venezuelan President in a detention center in Brooklyn, pending his appearance tomorrow before a federal court in Manhattan, New York.
He is set to face charges related to narcotics and weapons, according to the Trump administration’s allegations.
The US Department of Justice published an indictment against the Venezuelan President on its official website, accusing him of “leading a corrupt and illegitimate government for years.”
The document claims that Maduro abused governmental power to engage in illegal activities—primarily drug trafficking—and that these operations helped enrich the country’s political and military elite.
Venezuela issues statement
In response, the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela issued its first official comment following the abduction of President Maduro.
It accused the US of carrying out a “gravely dangerous military aggression” against a sovereign state, which included the bombing of civilian and military sites and the kidnapping of a legitimately elected president who was then forcibly removed from the country.
The government characterized these actions as a “flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter” and a direct undermining of the principles of sovereignty and non-interference.
It further asserted that these events jeopardize international peace and security, and represent a clear attempt to enforce regime change by force and drag Venezuela into a “new colonial war.”
The government maintained that this move was motivated by a desire to seize strategic resources—most notably oil and minerals.
It concluded by stating that through this operation, the US has reproduced patterns of “imperialist hegemony” in Latin America at the expense of the Venezuelan people’s will and regional stability.
The interim Venezuelan government accused Washington of carrying out a “gravely dangerous military aggression”targeting the territory and people of Venezuela, in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and as a direct threat to international peace and security.
In a statement issued from Caracas dated January 3, 2026, the government stated that the US struck civilian and military sites in the capital, Caracas, as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira.
It asserted that the objective of the operation is to “seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, primarily oil and minerals, and to forcibly break its political independence.”
The statement emphasized that Venezuela “will not bow to attempts to impose regime change or drag the country into a new colonial war,” characterizing what it called the “alliance between Washington and the fascist oligarchy” as being doomed to fail, just as previous attempts throughout history have.
The Bolivarian government announced the activation of total mobilization plans, calling on the people and political and social forces to take to the streets to condemn what it dubbed “imperialist aggression.”
It confirmed the deployment of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces within a “popular-military-police” integration framework to ensure sovereignty and maintain domestic stability
The statement further revealed that Maduro had issued orders to activate all national defense plans in accordance with the constitution and laws governing states of emergency.
He signed a decree declaring a state of “External Disturbance” across the entire country, alongside the deployment of the Comprehensive Defense Command across all states and municipalities.
Venezuela announced its intention to file formal complaints with the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Non-Aligned Movement.
The complaints demand international condemnation of the US and that it be held accountable for the military operation and the arrest of a sovereign head of state.
The statement emphasized that Venezuela reserves its right to legitimate self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, calling upon the peoples and governments of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the world to show “active solidarity” with Caracas in the face of “American aggression.”
US–China friction intensifies following Maduro’s abduction Egypt Independent.
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