New Delhi [India], January 6 (ANI): Former Indian permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Dilip Sinha, has described the recent US operation in Venezuela as an abduction rather than an arrest, calling it a “vile violation of international law.”
Speaking to ANI, Sinha said, “This is not technically an arrest, but an abduction. The US doesn’t have jurisdiction in Venezuela. This is an abduction where a head of state has been kidnapped and taken to the US. It is a violation of international law.”
He added that the operation appears motivated by a desire to claim Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. “The reason he has settled on is taking claim to the oil reserves of Venezuela. While there is a lot of narco-terrorism in Latin America, in which the US is also implicated, there are not many reports from Venezuela. Other countries in Latin America have been involved and accused of cocaine smuggling,” Sinha said.
Sinha also noted that President Maduro had offered to cooperate with the US and engage in dialogue, making the abduction by President Trump all the more unusual.
Regarding India’s response to the Venezuela crisis, Sinha said it aligns with the country’s longstanding policy of reticence in such international matters. “It is in line with India’s attitude and its response to earlier violations by big powers. There are other threats and violations of international law being committed by major powers, and India has generally been very reticent in taking an upfront position on this. That is India’s policy,” he explained.
He added that while the situation does not directly impact India due to limited trade relations with Venezuela, it has global implications. “The fact that a superpower has violated international law with such impunity has to be taken seriously. The overall state of the global order is in terrible shape. We are really looking at the precipice because the three superpowers today—China, Russia, and the US—are all behaving in an extremely aggressive manner,” Sinha said.
On Saturday, Washington carried out a “large-scale strike against Venezuela,” resulting in the capture of deposed dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. They were flown out of the country in a joint operation involving US intelligence and law enforcement agencies. President Trump stated that Maduro and Flores have been indicted on charges of alleged drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies in the Southern District of New York and will face trial. The operation took place during nighttime with American forces working alongside law enforcement agencies.
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