Slovak PM denounces America’s attack on Venezuela
US troops carried out a raid in Caracas on Saturday, detaining President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in the capital of the oil-rich nation. The two were later charged in the United States with drug-related offenses and entered not-guilty pleas during court proceedings in New York on Monday. Venezuelan authorities have denounced the operation as an “imperialist attack” designed to seize control of the country’s resources.
Fico issued a strong rebuke of the US action, making clear that he was willing to accept diplomatic fallout for speaking out. “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,” he said, accusing Washington of disregarding legal norms. He added, “Great powers today literally do whatever they want. They have completely erased the existence of international law and the necessity of complying with it.”
The Slovak leader characterized Maduro’s detention as “kidnapping” and argued that the international system had failed to respond effectively, pointing in particular to the limitations of the United Nations Security Council. “The UN is on its knees. Without reform and a real strengthening of its powers, the UNSC is completely toothless,” he said. “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.”
The incident prompted strong reactions during an emergency Security Council session on Monday, with numerous states warning that the operation could establish a dangerous global precedent. According to reports, criticism came from a broad range of countries across multiple regions, including both traditional US rivals and several long-standing partners. Some of the objections were voiced by governments that had themselves recently faced pressure or threats from Washington, including over allegations of drug trafficking or disputes linked to territorial and resource interests.
Despite the growing backlash and legal concerns surrounding the raid—which was conducted without authorization from the Security Council—the body failed to reach a common position. Analysts have attributed the stalemate to the United States’ role as a permanent member of the council, which gives it veto power and enables it to block any resolution directed against its actions, regardless of the level of opposition.
US officials have defended the raid as a legitimate “law enforcement” measure targeting an “illegitimate” leader, arguing that it was justified under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows for self-defense.
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