China calls for immediate release of Maduro, wife

China has called for the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, denouncing the United States’ actions as a “clear violation of international law.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China issued a statement, citing, it was “gravely concerned” over reports that President Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were forcibly detained and taken out of Venezuela by the United States. Such actions run counter to international law, the basic norms governing international relations, and the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

China urged Washington to ensure the personal safety of Maduro and his wife and to release them without delay. It also called on the United States to abandon any attempt to overthrow the Venezuelan government and instead resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation.

The statement followed reports that US forces had carried out an operation in Venezuela, detaining President Maduro and First Lady Flores before transferring them to the United States. US President Donald Trump later claimed they would be brought to face “American justice.”