President Donald Trump, alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, speaks to the press following U.S. military actions in Venezuela, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Jan. 3, 2026. (Jim Watson – AFP / Getty Images)
By Anthony Iafrate January 3, 2026 at 9:04am
A range of reactions from world leaders poured in Saturday morning after President Donald Trump announced the capture and indictment of Venezuelan socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro.
Trump wrote early Saturday on Truth Social that the U.S. “successfully carried out a large scale [sic] strike against Venezuela” resulting in the capture and removal of Maduro and his wife from the country. Three hours later, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the couple had been indicted on five charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy and cocaine importation conspiracy, adding that the couple “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.”
Argentina President Javier Milei, a libertarian populist and key Trump ally, hailed the capture and removal of the neighboring South American leader.
“LIBERTY ADVANCES,” Milei wrote in Spanish on X early Saturday. “LONG LIVE LIBERTY, D*MN IT.”
LA LIBERTAD AVANZA
VIVA LA LIBERTAD CARAJO https://t.co/1KlsyraWtY— Javier Milei (@JMilei) January 3, 2026
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, meanwhile, appeared to commit neither to praising nor condemning Trump’s move in his initial reaction.
“It’s obviously a fast-moving situation. I’m waiting to establish all the facts,” Starmer told a reporter Saturday. “What I can say is that the U.K. was not involved in any way in this operation.”
The prime minister added that the U.K. is prioritizing British nationals in Venezuela and working closely with the British embassy in Caracas.
The reporter continued to press Starmer, asking him if he condemned the American strikes and capture of Maduro, noting that some other U.K. politicians have.
“Well, I want to establish the facts first,” the prime minister answered. “I want to speak to President Trump. I want to speak to allies… I always say and believe we all should uphold international law. But I say at this stage, fast-moving situation, let’s establish the facts and take it from there.”
The situation in Venezuela is fast moving, we will establish all the facts and speak to allies.
Our embassy in Caracas is working to ensure all British nationals in Venezuela are supported. pic.twitter.com/Y6i82mdX2p
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) January 3, 2026
Kaja Kallas, the European Union high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, and vice president of the European Commission, noted Saturday morning that she spoke to both U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the European Union’s ambassador to Venezuela.
“The EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela. The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition,” Kallas, who previously served as the right-leaning Prime Minister of Estonia from 2021 to 2024, wrote on social media.
“Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint,” the European foreign policy chief added. “The safety of EU citizens in the country is our top priority.”
I have spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and our Ambassador in Caracas. The EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela.
The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles…
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 3, 2026
Neither the U.S. nor the European Union recognized Maduro as the legitimate leader of Venezuela prior to his removal.
The regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin — which, conversely, did recognize Maduro and was widely considered to have been allied with him — rebuked Trump’s swift action in Venezuela, calling the strike “an act of armed aggression.”
“This causes deep concern and condemnation,” Putin’s Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted to X. “The pretexts cited to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideologized hostility has prevailed over practical pragmatism and over a willingness to build relations based on trust and predictability.”
“We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people and our support for the course of its Bolivarian leadership aimed at defending the country’s national interests and sovereignty,” the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement added.
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