Turkish President breaks silence on US capture of Maduro
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cautiously condemned the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the United States and stressed Turkey’s opposition to international law violations on January 5th, according to the Middle East Eye plus agencies.
Following a cabinet meeting, Erdogan said, “We do not condone any action that violates international law.” He added, “The violation of nations’ sovereign rights and the trampling of international law are risky steps that can lead to serious complications globally.”
Erdogan and Maduro have been close allies since 2016, when Maduro expressed his support for Erdogan in the aftermath of the attempted military coup against the Turkish government.
However, following the capture of Maduro, Erdogan avoided commenting on the issue over the weekend despite having several public occasions to address it. The Turkish government initially issued only a brief foreign ministry statement expressing support for Venezuelan efforts to maintain stability.
Erdogan and US President Donald Trump have maintained a friendly relationship during Trump’s second term, in contrast to strained relations between Turkey and the US under Democratic President Joe Biden. In September, Erdogan and Trump signed a memorandum on strategic civil nuclear cooperation at the White House, a deal Turkey described as a boost to bilateral relations.
On January 3rd, Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel said Erdogan was avoiding criticism of Trump out of fear. Erdogan responded to the accusations on January 5th, saying he raised the issue of Venezuela with Trump.
“During my phone call with US President Mr Trump, I clearly conveyed our country’s sensitivities on the matter,” he said. “I particularly emphasised that Venezuela must not be driven into instability.”
“Regarding the issue of Venezuela, our efforts are focused on doing what is best and most right both for Turkey and for the friendly people of Venezuela,” he said. “President Maduro and the Venezuelan people have repeatedly shown that they are friends of our nation.”
Erdogan said Turkey would continue to support Venezuela and act in the country’s best interests. He continued by describing the capture of Maduro as “saddening”, without assigning blame.
Morocco’s Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) has also denounced the capture of Maduro, calling it “American imperialist aggression against Venezuela”, expressing solidarity with the Venezuelan people and highlighting their right to self-determination without foreign interference.
Several reports suggested the US had offered Maduro exile in Turkey in November. The claim was confirmed on January 5th by US Senator Lindsey Graham during a press briefing alongside Trump.
US special forces captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, pre-dawn on January 3rd. During the attack, fighter jets bombed key military installations and bases across Venezuela.
The assault has killed at least 80 people, including civilians and members of security forces, a senior Venezuelan official said, according to The New York Times.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, said the capture of Maduro had “Zionist undertones”. She served as Maduro’s vice president and was appointed interim president by the Venezuelan Supreme Court.
Maduro made his first court appearance in New York City in the US on January 5th. He pleaded not guilty to charges, including narco-terrorism and cocaine trafficking conspiracies, as well as weapons-related offences.
Middle East Eye plus agencies, The New York Times, Maghrebi.org
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