India on Sunday voiced deep concern over the dramatic developments in Venezuela, following a US special forces operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a nighttime airborne raid in Caracas.
In an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India is closely monitoring the evolving situation and reaffirmed its support for the well-being and safety of the Venezuelan people. The statement urged all parties to resolve disputes peacefully through dialogue, ensuring regional stability and peace.
The MEA also confirmed that the Indian Embassy in Caracas remains in contact with the local Indian community and will provide all necessary assistance.
The operation, which ended 12 years of Maduro’s rule, saw him flown to New York to face US drug and weapons charges. Maduro had a $50 million US bounty on his head. US President Donald Trump shared a photograph of Maduro handcuffed and blindfolded aboard a US naval ship, claiming he followed the operation live from his Mar-a-Lago estate “like watching a television show.”
Venezuela’s opposition leader, Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado, welcomed the development on social media, calling it her country’s “hour of freedom” and urging the opposition’s 2024 election candidate to assume the presidency immediately. Trump, however, dismissed any expectation that Machado herself would take the lead, stating she lacked support and respect in Venezuela.
The world watches closely as this unprecedented US operation unfolds, with potential implications for Venezuela’s political future and international relations.
