The JVP has issued a statement following the attacks carried out by the United States in Venezuela and the move to take Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife into US custody.

The JVP statement says that the party strongly condemns this move, in which the United States intruded into Venezuela—a free and sovereign state—and abducted the President who was elected by the people, along with his wife.

It further states that, as in any free and sovereign country in the world, the supreme authority to decide Venezuela’s future and to determine who governs the country lies with the people of Venezuela and that no power has the right to violate this sovereignty.

The full statement is as follows:

We strongly condemn the United States of America’s military aggression against the independent and sovereign state of Venezuela and the abduction of democratically elected President Nicholas Maduro and his wife.

As in any other free and sovereign state, the right to determine the future and the leaders of the country rests on the people of Venezuela. Powerful countries do not have the right to violate this principle.

Modern society and governance should be civilized. Democracy, human rights and sovereignty of states are universally accepted principles. Military aggressions and invasions against sovereign states in violation of these principles cannot be justified.

In that line, we believe that nobody will approve of the forceful military aggression against Venezuela by the United States of America.

Accordingly, we condemn the military invasion of Venezuela by the United States of America and stand for Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence.