Council of Europe Secretary General: U.S. actions in Venezuela cannot be judged as right or wrong

This is said in a statement by the Secretary General, Ukrinform reports.

“This situation cannot be reduced to a binary choice between condemnation and support. It reveals a deeper shift in an emerging world order where force is normalised and law is weaponised,” the statement emphasizes.

Berset noted that reports from Venezuela point to a moment of profound uncertainty both for the Venezuelan people and for international stability and security.

“As a multilateral regional organisation dedicated to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the Council of Europe considers that any use of force on the territory of another state raises serious questions under international law, including the core principles of the United Nations Charter of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference,” the Council of Europe Secretary General said.

Referring to Ukraine as an example, Berset said Europe is well aware of “how fragile international law becomes once the use of force is normalised.”

He called for a peaceful and democratic transition in Venezuela that takes into account the will of the Venezuelan people.

“The risk today is a deepening of polarisation in Venezuela, across the region and globally between those who condemn a serious breach of international law and those who see it as justified,” the statement said.

He added that this undermines the foundations of international security.

“International law is universal, or it is meaningless. Democracy is resilient when it is freely chosen, institutionally protected, and grounded in legality. A world governed by exceptions, double standards, or competing spheres of influence is a more dangerous world,” Berset concluded.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had carried out a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela, and that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the country.”

Trump later said that interim governance of Venezuela following Maduro’s detention would be handled by senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, together with their team.