Latin American countries and Spain condemn US military intervention in Venezuela

Five Latin American countries and Spain have issued a joint statement rejecting “unilateral military operations in Venezuela” and warning against the exploitation of the country’s natural resources.

The signatories state that the operation to overthrow Nicolás Maduro is being carried out in violation of international law.

In the joint statement by the leaders of Spain, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay, it was stated that the US invasion operation violated “the fundamental principles of international law, especially the prohibition on the use of force set out in the United Nations Charter and respect for territorial sovereignty.”

The joint statement read: “These actions constitute a dangerous precedent for peace and regional security and pose a risk to the civilian population. We reiterate that the situation in Venezuela must be resolved only through dialogue and in accordance with the will of the Venezuelan people, without intervention and in compliance with international law.”

In the statement, Spain and the five Latin American signatory countries also expressed their concern regarding the exploitation of Venezuela’s natural and strategic resources, stating that this would be incompatible with international law and sovereignty:

“We express our concerns regarding any attempt at external seizure and control of [Venezuela’s] natural and strategic resources through governmental or administrative means, which is contrary to international law and threatens the economic, political, and social stability of the region.”

Although EU countries lined up behind Donald Trump in the US invasion operation, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez took the same line as the left-leaning governments of Latin America such as Brazil and Mexico, saying that just as Madrid “cannot recognize the Maduro regime, it cannot recognize an intervention that violates international law.”

Spain has deep historical ties and commercial interests with Latin America.