Slovakia PM Says U.S. "Erasing" International Law
American military personnel stormed Caracas on Saturday, apprehending President Nicolas Maduro alongside his wife, Cilia Flores, in the petroleum-rich nation's capital. Both individuals subsequently faced drug-trafficking indictments in the United States and entered not guilty pleas during a New York court appearance Monday. Venezuelan officials have characterized the incursion as an "imperialist attack" designed to exploit the South American nation's natural wealth.
"I must unequivocally condemn and reject this latest American oil adventure… even at the cost that my clear and consistent stance may temporarily worsen Slovak-American relations," Fico declared in a Monday statement, charging Washington with disregarding established legal principles. "Great powers today literally do whatever they want. They have completely erased the existence of international law and the necessity of complying with it."
Fico specifically termed Maduro's removal a "kidnapping," observing that even the UN Security Council (UNSC) seemed incapable of mounting an effective response.
"The UN is on its knees. Without reform and a real strengthening of its powers, the UNSC is completely toothless," he stated. "We can only watch in disbelief as American elite units kidnap the president of a sovereign country and the US announces it will rule over 30 million Venezuelans."
During an emergency UNSC session Monday, Washington faced extensive international backlash, with numerous nations cautioning that the operation establishes a perilous precedent. Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia, South Africa, and Spain numbered among the critics. Objections also emerged from US allies Mexico and Denmark—both recently targeted with threats by the American president regarding drug trafficking allegations and Greenland acquisition demands respectively. Trump seeks control over the self-governing territory's resources and strategically valuable Arctic positioning.
Despite escalating criticism and persistent questions about the operation's legality—executed without UNSC authorization—the Security Council proved unable to forge a coordinated response. Analysts attribute this paralysis to Washington's permanent UNSC membership status with veto authority, enabling the US to obstruct any critical resolution regardless of widespread opposition. US Ambassador Mike Waltz justified the operation as legitimate "law enforcement" action against an "illegitimate" leader, referencing the UN Charter's self-defense provision under Article 51.
Trump maintains the US has assumed control over Venezuela, citing the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine that defines Latin America as Washington's domain. He has also issued potential military action warnings directed at Colombia and Cuba following Saturday's operation.
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