stresses the need for adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and international law to resolve all outstanding issues
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: File
Pakistan on Sunday called for restraint and de-escalation to end the ongoing crisis in Venezuela, underscoring the need for adherence to the principles of the UN Charter and international law to resolve all outstanding issues, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“Pakistan attaches great importance to the welfare of the people of Venezuela and watches with concern the development of the situation in the country,” the statement said.
The State Department called for restraint and de-escalation, stressing that all issues should be resolved by peaceful means in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.
The statement added that Pakistan was closely monitoring developments and remained committed to ensuring the safety of members of the Pakistani community in Venezuela.
Read:Trump says the US launched a major raid and captured Venezuela’s leader Maduro and wife
The statement comes amid major developments in Venezuela, where US forces carried out an operation involving 150 aircraft taking off from 20 air bases to capture President Nicolas Maduro. The US bombed Venezuela and toppled Maduro’s government, drawing both condemnation and praise internationally.
At a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Saturday, US President Donald Trump described the operation to capture Maduro as one of the “most stunning, effective and powerful demonstrations of US military power and competence in US history”.
The operation was described as the riskiest and most high-profile military action sanctioned by Washington since the 2011 raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
After months of escalation and threats over Maduro’s alleged involvement in drug trafficking to the United States, the Trump administration had intensified pressure on Caracas through a military buildup in the Caribbean and missile attacks on alleged drug-running boats, incidents that reportedly killed more than 100 people and whose legality has been questioned by the United Nations and legal experts.
Also read: Maduro in New York detention center as Trump says US must ‘rule’ Venezuela
According to reports, a US government plane carrying Maduro landed at a military base shortly after dark, after which he was airlifted to New York City to face drug-trafficking and weapons charges. The White House later posted a video on X showing Maduro handcuffed and escorted by federal agents at a US Drug Enforcement Administration facility in New York.
Despite the success of the operation, there remains uncertainty about the next steps. Trump said he was “designating people” from his cabinet to oversee affairs in Venezuela, but he did not provide further details.
He also indicated that US troops could be deployed, saying Washington was “not afraid of boots on the ground”, while suggesting he could work with Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez instead of the opposition taking power.
Meanwhile, US-backed opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said on social media that “the hour of freedom has arrived” and called on opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia to “immediately” assume the presidency.
However, Trump played down expectations that Machado could become Venezuela’s new leader, saying she lacked “support or respect” in the country.
