Here’s what some European leaders are saying about the US action in Venezuela.

UK: Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK was not involved in the operation and he wants to speak to Trump “to establish the facts first” before commenting further

France: President Emmanuel Macron calls for the Maduro’s 2024 opposition candidate – Edmundo González – who he refers to as “president”, to oversee a “peaceful, democratic” transition

Germany: Maduro “led his country to ruin”, says Chancellor Friedrich Merz, but adds the government is taking time to decide if US actions broke international law

Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni says that “external military action is not the way to put an end to totalitarian regimes”, but adds it is “legitimate” to defend against “attacks on one’s own security”

Spain: Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says Spain “did not recognise” Maduro’s regime, but “nor will it recognise an intervention that violates international law”. He calls for respect for the UN Charter

European Union: High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas says the EU “has repeatedly stated” that Maduro lacks legitimacy, but calls “for restraint” and a respect for international law

Trump says US will ‘run’ Venezuela until ‘safe transition can take place’

Here’s a Short Version

• Donald Trump says the US launched strikes on Venezuela and captured its President Nicolas Maduro
• President Trump says the US is going to “run” Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition”
• US oil companies will fix Venezuela’s “broken infrastructure” and “start making money for the country”, he adds
• He says no US servicemen were killed in the operation and the US is “ready” to stage a second “and much larger” attack on the country if needed
• Trump, a sharp critic of the US invasion of Iraq, now seems to be in the business of nation-building, Anthony Zurcher of BBC writes

• Trump earlier shared a photo he said was of Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima. The image shows him blindfolded and wearing ear defenders
• Maduro has been indicted in New York on drugs and weapons charges – the US attorney general says he’ll “face the full wrath of American justice”. Maduro has previously denied being the leader of drug cartel
• Venezuela has declared a national emergency, denouncing “extremely serious military aggression

Captured Venezuelan leader Maduro arrives in New York after US strikes

Summary

• Maduro and his wife have landed at Stewart Air National Guard Base in New York state; Trump earlier shared a photo of Maduro blindfolded on board the USS Iwo Jima
• Trump has signalled he isn’t serious about shoring up Venezuela for a democratic or just future, but rather to plunder its oil wealth, wrote Tom Bateman
• In an address on state television, Venezuela’s Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez says Maduro is the country’s only president
• Maduro has been indicted in New York on drugs and weapons charges. He has previously denied being the leader of drug cartel
• Venezuela has declared a national emergency, denouncing “extremely serious military aggression”