The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed serious concern over the escalating crisis in Venezuela following reports that the United States captured President Nicolás Maduro and carried out military strikes on the capital, Caracas. In a statement issued Sunday night, the West African bloc urged the international community to respect Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing that the country’s future should be determined through an inclusive, Venezuelan-led political process.
According to the statement, U.S. forces detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, over the weekend during a military operation that several legal experts have described as a violation of international law. The two were reportedly transferred to New York, where they are being held in a Brooklyn detention facility on charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism. U.S. President Donald Trump has since said Washington intends to assert control over Venezuela’s oil resources and oversee the country’s administration temporarily remarks that have drawn sharp international criticism. While acknowledging the right of states to combat transnational crime, ECOWAS cautioned that such actions must comply with international law, citing Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force against another state. The bloc aligned its position with the African Union, which has also called for restraint, dialogue, and a peaceful resolution led by Venezuelans themselves.
