In an editorial, the Chinese newspaper said it was “deeply shocked” by the blatant use of force against at least four Venezuelan states before the «seizure» of Maduro and his wife from the c country, characterizing the operation as a blatant act of aggression against a sovereign state.
The editorial rejected Washington’s claim that the assault was carried out under the guise of counter-narcotics enforcement, arguing that such a pretext cannot justify the bombing of sovereign territory, the invasion of a capital city, or the abduction of a sitting head of state. Accepting such reasoning, it warned, would hand powerful nations a universal license to intervene militarily wherever they see fit, hollowing out the principles of international law.
The piece pointed to remarks by US President Donald Trump, who publicly announced that Maduro and his wife had been “captured and flown out of the Country” and said the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela in order to “get the oil flowing.” The editorial said the comments stripped away any remaining ambiguity about Washington’s motives, exposing raw economic interests behind the rushed and chaotic operation.
Global alarm
According to the commentary, the international reaction reflected widespread alarm at the scale and brazenness of the US action. The United Nations expressed grave concern over the developments, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warning that the use of force in violation of international law was deeply troubling. Russia, the editorial added, said it was “extremely alarmed,” describing the move as an act of armed aggression.
The editorial noted that condemnation extended beyond traditional US rivals, with some American allies also reacting critically to the operation, dubbed “Operation Absolute Resolve” by Washington, underscoring a growing international recognition that the assault on Venezuela threatens peace and security across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Enduring chaos
Drawing on past experience, the piece argued that externally driven regime-change operations have consistently plunged countries into prolonged instability, humanitarian suffering, and regional turmoil. “Violence may topple power structures overnight,” the editorial wrote, “but it cannot rebuild societies or win the trust of the people,” adding that such interventions instead fracture states and inflame long-term conflict.
China Daily said Washington’s actions had destroyed any moral authority the United States might claim, warning that selective adherence to international rules weakens the entire global legal order. When power is allowed to override law, it said, the result is a world governed by coercion rather than stability.
Sovereignty defended
Reaffirming Beijing’s stated position, the editorial said China firmly opposes any act that violates another country’s sovereignty and security.
It also called on the United States to cease its military adventurism, respect international law and the UN Charter, and return to dialogue and diplomacy, stressing that Venezuela’s future must be decided by its people, not imposed through force or kidnapping from abroad.