Europeans Mumble 'Restraint' on Maduro Capture – Statements Read Like ChatGPT Diplomacy

The reaction around the globe to the capture of (former) Venezuelan drug kingpin and dictator Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces in the wee hours of Saturday morning has been somewhat predictable, with our geopolitical foes like China, Iran, and Russia strongly condemning the operation. European leaders, meanwhile, fired off statements that all read like they’d all coordinated with AI to say the same thing: almost nothing useful.

I can sum up most of the Euro statements for you: “Maduro bad, but we must follow the rule of law, kowtow to the United Nations, and use diplomacy and international relations to solve the long-running Venezuelan conundrum. Never mind that none of that has worked before, and Maduro destroyed the country and oppressed his people for almost 13 years.”

The subtext of many of the Europeans’ messages? “We’re not going to take a stand, but we secretly thank you, Mr. Trump, for taking care of this festering problem.”

Here’s French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot trying to have it both ways:

En confisquant le pouvoir au peuple vénézuélien, en le privant de ses libertés fondamentales, Nicolás Maduro a porté une atteinte grave à sa dignité et à son droit à l'auto-détermination. La France s'est engagée avec constance, notamment par ses actions de médiation, en faveur du…
— Jean-Noël Barrot (@jnbarrot) January 3, 2026

Translated :

By confiscating power from the Venezuelan people and depriving them of their fundamental freedoms, Nicolás Maduro has gravely undermined their dignity and their right to self-determination. France has consistently committed itself, particularly through its mediation efforts, to upholding the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people, whose voice must take precedence.

But:

The military operation that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro violates the principle of non-resort to force that underpins international law. France recalls that no lasting political solution can be imposed from the outside and that sovereign peoples alone decide their future.

Peut-être (perhaps), Mr. Barrot, but what exactly was your solution to the drugs coming across the U.S. border from Venezuela, much less the sanctioned oil they were selling to the Russians and the Iranians?

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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer took the brave stance of immediately distancing himself from the whole thing:

“The UK was not involved in any way in this operation, and as you would expect we are focusing on British nationals in Venezuela and working very closely with our embassy, and so we want to talk to the president, I will want to talk to allies, but at the moment we need to establish the facts,” Starmer said.

Here’s Kaja Kallas, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, with a similar-sounding statement:

I have spoken with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and our Ambassador in Caracas. The EU is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela.

The EU has repeatedly stated that Mr Maduro lacks legitimacy and has defended a peaceful transition. Under all circumstances, the principles…
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 3, 2026

Under all circumstances, the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected. We call for restraint.
The safety of EU citizens in the country is our top priority.

While there are legitimate questions about international law and regime change that are fair to ask, the Europeans, for the most part, seem to be saying, “We’ll complain a little, but we’re not actually ever going to do anything about the situation; we prefer to watch the U.S. take the lead — and take the heat.” Sound familiar?

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