PR – The recent US military action inside Venezuela that led to the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who both now are in custody in New York, has been described as “deeply troubling’’.
Grenada’s Democratic People’s Movement (DPM) leader Peter David has condemned the removal of Maduro, calling it a retreat from “accepted international norms’’, and warning that such actions set dangerous precedents that weaken the international system that nations depend on for peace and stability.
“As a former Foreign Affairs Minister for many years, I have watched recent developments involving the United States’ operations in Venezuela with deep concern,’’ David said in an address to the nation.
“The forced removal of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, by external forces represents a deeply troubling departure from accepted international norms, which are the safeguards that protect all of us.’’
The US attack on Venezuela, and the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, occurred January 3. It’s reported that 100 Venezuelans were killed in the American operation.
As well, Cuba said 32 of its military and police officers, who were on assignment helping to provide security for Maduro, also were killed in what the US called, “Operation Absolute Resolve’’.
“While details are still emerging about the recent operation, the manner in which events appear to have unfolded raises serious questions about sovereignty, non-intervention, and respect for international norms,’’ said David.
He is urging the international community not to meet this moment, of the attack on Venezuela and the removal of the country’s president, with silence.
The ex-Foreign Minister emphasized that history has repeatedly shown that interventions, such as in Venezuela, destabilize countries and regions, deepen divisions, and undermine institutions, without delivering the peace or democracy they claim to advance.
International law cannot be applied selectively and sovereignty cannot be respected only when convenient, David added.
“When these actions go unaddressed, they set dangerous precedents that weaken the very system we depend on for peace and stability, and which may one day be turned against others,’’ he warned.
The DPM leader noted that both the United States and Venezuela have been valued friends to Grenada and other Caribbean neighbours, underscoring the importance of dialogue and mutual respect.
“The Caribbean has always stood for peace, for diplomacy over force, and for the peaceful resolution of disputes. We do not benefit from escalation, nor from actions that weaken the international rules-based order we rely on,’’ emphasized David, an attorney by profession.
“We, therefore, call for a collective recommitment to diplomacy, dialogue, and the peaceful resolution of disputes within international law, as those are necessary for the stability of our region, and the credibility of the international order. Our survival depends on it.”
