EU sees chance for Venezuelan-led democracy after US action
At a European Commission press briefing, spokesperson Anitta Hipper reiterated that President Nicolas Maduro “lacks the legitimacy of a democratically elected leader” and emphasized that the EU continues to support a “peaceful, Venezuelan-led transition to democracy.”
“EU is calling for calm and restrain by all the actors, and also to avoid escalation and to ensure also peaceful solution to the crisis. We have inserted also the reference to the need to respect and uphold international law,” Hipper said, highlighting the importance of upholding legal norms.
She noted that members of the UN Security Council carry a “particular responsibility” to defend international law, describing it as a cornerstone of global security.
“As the events just unfolded, it is too early to look into and assess all the implications in terms of legal assessment... Let's take it step by step and also to see how the facts and the events are unfolding. We are now at the stage where we have seen a dictator Maduro, that is lacking any legitimacy of a democratically elected leader. We have continued as a EU to advocate for a Venezuelan-led also peaceful transition to democracy,” Hipper added.
The EU also recognizes opposition leader Maria Corina Machado as an essential participant in any democratic transition, referencing the 2024 elections in which “millions of Venezuelans supported change.”
Another spokesperson for the European Commission, Paula Pinho, reinforced this view, saying that recent developments “provide an opportunity for a democratic transition led by the Venezuelan people.”
When asked about the EU’s stance on the US military operation, Pinho said that the bloc is not focused on labeling the intervention, but rather on the political outcomes for Venezuela. “It's obviously for the Venezuelan people to run the country, as it is for any people across the world, wherever and whatever country we're talking about,” she added.
The statements come after reports that US forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, over the weekend, with US President Donald Trump indicating that American control would be maintained temporarily if necessary. The couple was flown to New York and are being held at a Brooklyn detention facility. They face federal charges in the US related to drug trafficking and alleged ties to gangs designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied the accusations, while Venezuelan officials in Caracas have called for their release.
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