Correa says US’s abduction of Maduro sets “disastrous precedent”

(MENAFN) Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has condemned the United States for capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, warning that the move sets a “disastrous precedent” and risks dragging the international system back into “barbarism.” He argued that the muted global response exposes blatant double standards and has allowed actions that are “impossible to accept in the 21st century.”

U.S. special forces carried out airstrikes in Venezuela before detaining Maduro and his wife during a pre-dawn operation on Saturday. The couple was later transported to the United States and charged with drug trafficking offenses, accusations Maduro has consistently denied. He has previously claimed that Washington’s real objective was regime change aimed at gaining access to Venezuela’s natural resources.

Correa drew a sharp comparison to highlight what he described as global hypocrisy, stating: “Imagine for a moment that… [Russian President Vladimir] Putin captured [Ukraine’s Vladimir] Zelensky.” He added, “Can you imagine what the world’s response would be? Nothing like the response the United States is getting.”

According to Correa, the reaction so far reflects nothing but “global hypocrisy,” stressing that such an extraordinary incident warrants far stronger condemnation. “This unprecedented, extraordinary event deserves a much stronger response from the international community,” he said, accusing Washington of violating international law and reviving an era in which power overrides legal norms.

He further warned of the broader consequences, saying: “What they’re saying is, either you do what I say or I’ll bomb you again.” Correa concluded that such behavior is “something extremely dangerous for the entire planet, not just for Venezuela, not just for Latin America.”

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