Caracas, 05 Jan. (SANA) Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López strongly condemned a U.S. military operation that resulted in the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, describing it as a “cowardly kidnapping” and a flagrant violation of Venezuela’s national sovereignty.
In a statement carried by Venezuelan state media on Sunday, López said the armed forces had declared a state of maximum operational alert across the country to confront what he described as imperial aggression and to safeguard the nation’s freedom, independence, and sovereignty.
He said the U.S. military operation was carried out following what he described as a cold-blooded killing that targeted President Maduro’s security team, resulting in the deaths of several members of the presidential guard, along with soldiers and civilians.
López added that the National Union for Democracy is complying with an order issued by the Supreme Court of Justice to appoint Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president, a move he said aims to ensure the continuity of state institutions amid the exceptional circumstances facing the country.
Concluding his statement, the defense minister reaffirmed the loyalty of the armed forces and the National Union for Democracy to what he described as the nation’s core principles, stressing that Venezuelan forces would remain committed to the path of liberation and national sovereignty in the face of external challenges and threats.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out a large-scale military operation in Venezuela, resulting in the arrest of President Maduro and his wife and their transfer to the United States, where they are to face charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism.
