{"id":109767,"date":"2026-01-04T02:33:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T02:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=109767"},"modified":"2026-01-04T02:33:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T02:33:00","slug":"african-union-raises-concern-over-us-abduction-of-venezuelan-president-nicolas-maduro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=109767","title":{"rendered":"African Union raises concern over US \u201cabduction\u201d of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>2 Minute, 34 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
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The African Union (AU) has broken its silence on the military raid in Caracas, issuing a searing communiqu\u00e9 that characterises the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicol\u00e1s Maduro as an \u201cabduction\u201d and a direct assault on international law.<\/p>\n

The statement, released from the AU headquarters on Saturday, January 3, 2026, signals a widening diplomatic rift between the 55-member continental bloc and the Trump administration following the launch of Operation Absolute Resolve.<\/p>\n

In the release, the AU Commission expressed \u201cgrave concern\u201d over the military strikes that rocked the Venezuelan capital overnight. <\/p>\n

The bloc, which has historically been sensitive to external regime changes due to Africa\u2019s own history of colonial and Cold War interventions, framed the incident as a violation of the United Nations Charter.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe African Union is following with grave concern the recent developments\u2026 including reports of the abduction of the President of the Republic, Mr. Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, and military attacks on Venezuelan institutions,\u201d the communiqu\u00e9 stated.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The AU further reaffirmed its \u201csteadfast commitment to the fundamental principles of international law, including respect for the sovereignty of States, their territorial integrity, and the right of peoples to self-determination.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AU\u2019s condemnation stands in contrast to the triumphant atmosphere in Washington. <\/p>\n

Earlier, President Donald Trump confirmed that elite Delta Force units, supported by more than 150 aircraft, extracted Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores from their home in Caracas.<\/p>\n

Trump, who posted a photograph of a blindfolded Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, announced that the United States would run Venezuela temporarily to get the oil flowing and oversee a transition of power. <\/p>\n

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has since indicted Maduro on charges of narcoterrorism and cocaine importation.<\/p>\n

The African Union emphasised that the solution to Venezuela\u2019s protracted economic and political crisis must come from within. <\/p>\n

Rejecting the idea of an externally imposed transition, the AU called for a return to the negotiating table.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe complex internal challenges facing Venezuela can only be sustainably addressed through inclusive political dialogue among Venezuelans themselves,\u201d the AU stressed, adding that it underscores the importance of \u201cdialogue, peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect for constitutional and institutional frameworks.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

By expressing its \u201csolidarity with the Venezuelan people,\u201d the AU joined a chorus of international voices\u2014including Russia, China, and Brazil\u2014that have labelled the U.S. action a \u201cdangerous precedent\u201d. <\/p>\n

UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres has already scheduled an emergency Security Council meeting for January 5 to discuss the legality of the strikes.<\/p>\n

The AU\u2019s reaction is being seen by analysts as a significant indicator of Global South sentiment. <\/p>\n

While U.S. allies like Argentina and Ecuador have cheered the \u201cfall of a dictator\u201d, the African Union\u2019s emphasis on \u201cgood neighbourliness, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence\u201d highlights a deep fear of a return to gunboat diplomacy.<\/p>\n

As Maduro awaits processing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York, the African Union has called on all parties to \u201cexercise restraint, responsibility, and respect for international law to prevent any escalation and to preserve regional peace and stability.\u201d<\/p>\n