Venezuela ticker: Maduro deputy Rodriguez wants to work with Trump

WATSON.CH
The European Union is insisting on Venezuela’s right to self-determination following the violent capture of authoritarian head of state Nicolás Maduro. “The right of the Venezuelan people to decide on their future must be respected,” wrote EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in a post on X. According to Kallas, the statement is supported by 26 of the 27 EU states. It initially remained unclear which member country did not support the statement.

The EU is in close contact with the United States and regional and international partners so that a negotiated, democratic, inclusive and peaceful solution to the crisis can be found under the leadership of the Venezuelans, the post says.

EU chief diplomat Kallas once again calls for people to respect international law. The fight against cross-border organized crime and drug trafficking is important. At the same time, the EU emphasizes that these challenges must be addressed through sustainable cooperation with full respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.

On Saturday, Trump claimed at a press conference that the United States would temporarily lead Venezuela and that the country’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was ready to cooperate. This, on the other hand, is unbending. She called for Maduro’s release on Saturday and described the US attack as a violation of the UN Charter. “We will never be slaves again,” she said to Trump.

Kallas also wrote in her statement that respect for human rights is also crucial in this critical time. “All political prisoners currently incarcerated in Venezuela must be released unconditionally.” EU Member States worked closely together to ensure the safety of EU citizens, including those illegally detained in Venezuela. (sda/dpa)