France Slams U.S. Maduro Capture as Breach of International Law

(MENAFN) France's top diplomat has declared that Washington's military action resulting in Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's detention represents a fundamental breach of international legal standards governing the use of force, the foreign minister announced Saturday.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot issued a carefully calibrated statement addressing both Maduro's authoritarian governance and America's intervention tactics. While condemning the Venezuelan leader's suppression of his own population, Barrot emphasized that by seizing power from the Venezuelan people and depriving them of their fundamental freedoms, Maduro "inflicted a grave violation on their dignity and on their right to self-determination."

Writing on X, the US-based social media platform, Barrot noted that France has consistently committed itself, notably through its mediation efforts, to upholding respect for the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people, whose voice must prevail.

Yet Barrot stressed the critical importance of adhering to established legal frameworks when addressing such crises.

"The military operation that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro contravenes the principle of non-use of force that underpins international law," he declared.

Barrot further stated: "France recalls that no lasting political solution can be imposed from the outside and that sovereign peoples alone decide their own future."

The French foreign minister issued a stark warning regarding the erosion of international norms, cautioning that the growing number of violations of this principle by nations entrusted with the primary responsibility of permanent UN Security Council membership will have "serious consequences" for global security, sparing no one.

"France is preparing for this, but cannot bring itself to accept it," Barrot said, adding that France reiterates its commitment to the UN Charter, which must continue to guide the international action of states, "always and everywhere."

Venezuelan authorities had announced a nationwide state of emergency earlier Saturday, alleging that American forces struck both civilian facilities and military targets throughout multiple Venezuelan provinces.

US President Donald Trump subsequently acknowledged the "large scale" operation via his social media platform Truth Social, confirming that Maduro and his wife were "captured and flown out of the country."

The military strike culminates months of intensifying American pressure against Maduro, whom Washington has accused of participating in international drug trafficking networks. Maduro has consistently disputed these charges while signaling willingness for diplomatic dialogue.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez stated they were "unaware" of Maduro's whereabouts, demanding the Trump administration provide "proof of life" of the president.

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