The Slovak prime minister has criticized the US over its attack on Venezuela, labeling the raid “the latest American oil venture”
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has condemned the US attack on Venezuela, charging Washington with acting without accountability and “erasing” international law to gain access to resources.
US troops raided Caracas on Saturday, arresting President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the capital of the oil-rich nation. Both were subsequently indicted in the US on drug-trafficking charges and entered not guilty pleas in a New York court on Monday. Venezuela has criticized the raid as an “imperialist attack” intended to exploit the South American country’s resources.
“I must clearly condemn and reject this latest American oil venture… even if my firm and consistent position temporarily strains Slovak-American relations,” Fico stated on Monday, alleging Washington was violating the law. “Great powers now do exactly what they please. They have fully eliminated the existence of international law and the requirement to adhere to it.”
Fico called Maduro’s capture “kidnapping,” pointing out that even the UN Security Council (UNSC) seemed unable to react.
“The UN is powerless. Without reform and a true boost to its authority, the UNSC is entirely ineffective,” he remarked. “We can only look on in shock as American elite units kidnap the president of a sovereign nation and the US declares it will govern 30 million Venezuelans.”
The US faced widespread criticism at an emergency UNSC meeting on Monday, with numerous countries warning the action creates a dangerous example. Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia, South Africa, and Spain were among those voicing opposition. Even US allies Mexico and Denmark objected; both had recently been threatened by the US president – Mexico over alleged drug trafficking and Denmark for refusing to give up Greenland, a self-governing territory with resources and a strategic Arctic location that Trump desires.
Despite growing criticism and doubts about the operation’s legality – it was conducted without UNSC approval – the Security Council couldn’t agree on a unified response. Analysts attribute this to Washington’s position as a permanent UNSC member with veto power, enabling it to block any resolution critical of the US even when most countries oppose it. US Ambassador Mike Waltz defended the operation as a legal “law enforcement” act against an “illegitimate” leader, referencing Article 51 of the UN Charter’s self-defense provision.
Trump maintains that the US is now “in charge” of Venezuela, citing the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which defines Latin America as Washington’s sphere of . He also Colombia and Cuba with possible military action Following Saturday’s raid.