EAM S Jaishankar urges dialogue, expresses concern over Venezuela crisis

India has expressed concern over recent developments in Venezuela, where former President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured by US forces following airstrikes in Caracas.

Speaking at an event in Luxembourg on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed the importance of dialogue to ensure the safety and well-being of the Venezuelan people.

“We are concerned at the developments, but we would really urge all the parties involved to now sit down and come to a position which is in the interest of the well-being and the safety of the people of Venezuela,” Jaishankar said.

Highlighting India’s long-standing relations with Venezuela, the minister added, “…at the end of the day, that is our concern, that we would want Venezuela, the country with whom over many, many years we've had very good relations, and (its) people to come out well from whatever is the direction of events.”

The crisis escalated after US Delta Force personnel reportedly captured Maduro and his wife on January 3, following months of threats from former US President Donald Trump, who had accused Maduro of running drug cartels and engaging in narco-terrorism. The couple was flown to the United States and is now lodged in a Brooklyn jail.

Maduro appeared in a Manhattan court on Monday, pleading not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. Speaking in Spanish, he declared himself “president of my country” and maintained he was “innocent, not guilty, and a decent man.” The court is scheduled to hear the case next on March 17.

In the wake of Maduro’s detention, Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez has assumed the presidency, following guidance from the country’s top court.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reiterated its concern on Monday, emphasizing that all issues should be resolved peacefully through dialogue. The MEA stated that the Embassy of India in Caracas remains in contact with the Indian community and will continue to provide necessary assistance.

The government also advised Indian nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Venezuela and recommended that citizens in the country exercise extreme caution and limit their movements amid the escalating tensions.