Indonesia Asserts US Actions in Venezuela Set a Dangerous Precedent

Jakarta: The Indonesian government has voiced serious concern over recent actions by the United States in Venezuela, warning that the use of force and the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro could set a dangerous precedent in international relations.

“The Indonesian government continues to closely monitor developments in Venezuela,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement quoted on X on Sunday, January 4, 2026.

“Indonesia expresses its deep concern over any action involving the use or threat of force,” the statement said, adding that such moves risk undermining the principles of sovereignty, diplomacy, and regional stability.

According to the ministry, actions that bypass diplomatic mechanisms could destabilize regions and erode the foundations of international law governing relations between states.

President Maduro was reportedly arrested in Venezuela during a US military operation and later transferred to the United States, where he was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York to await a court hearing on narcoterrorism charges.

Euronews reported that Maduro arrived at a small airport in New York following a pre-dawn operation that removed him and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their residence on a military base in Caracas. The Venezuelan government denounced the operation as an act of “imperialism.”

The operation, codenamed Absolute Resolve, followed statements by US President Donald Trump indicating Washington’s intention to oversee Venezuela during what he described as a “safe transition,” including measures related to the country’s oil reserves.

The move marked the culmination of an intensified pressure campaign against Maduro and has been described as the most assertive US action aimed at regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez demanded that the United States release Maduro and recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. She claimed that several Venezuelan civilians and military personnel were killed during the operation, although no official figures were released.

US President Trump said some American personnel were injured in the operation but confirmed there were no US fatalities.