Luxembourg’s government is “closely monitoring” Venezuela after United States airstrikes on the country and the capture of its president, a state ministry spokesperson said on Sunday.
The US struck Caracas early on Saturday, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and flying him out of the country. President Donald Trump later announced the US would run the South American country in the interim.
“The government is closely monitoring events in Venezuela […] Luxembourg calls for calm and restraint to ensure a peaceful resolution to the crisis and prevent it from causing further suffering for the Venezuelan people,” the spokesperson said.
Also read:Venezuelans in Luxembourg describe ‘happiness’ and ‘uncertainty’ after Maduro capture
The consular service of the foreign affairs ministry is “ready to assist Luxembourg nationals who may be affected by the crisis,” said the government spokesperson, adding that so far, no requests for assistance have been registered.
Approximately 20 Luxembourgers have declared a residence in Venezuela, according to the national register of natural persons.
“Along with the European Union, Luxembourg has not recognized the democratic legitimacy of President Maduro and has condemned the massive human rights abuses perpetrated by the Maduro regime, and in particular the repression of the democratic opposition,” the Ministry of State said.
The EU has had a sanctions regime in place in Venezuela since 2017. It currently targets 69 individuals responsible for democracy violations, the rule of law, or human rights in Venezuela. These sanctions were renewed at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on 15 December.
Following Maduro’s capture, the US president offered few details on how he planned to administer the country, saying it would be done “with a group” largely comprised of senior US officials and with an emphasis on repairing oil infrastructure and making sure the people of Venezuela were “also taken care of.”
But he did say that the US administration of Venezuela would include deploying US oil companies to the country, though indicating that his embargo “on all Venezuelan oil remains in full effect” and that US forces would stay on alert.
Trump long framed his campaign against Maduro as focused on threats from drugs and terrorism.
“The illegitimate dictator Maduro was the kingpin of a vast criminal network responsible for trafficking colossal amounts of deadly and illicit drugs into the United States,” Trump said at a Saturday press briefing. He pledged that the deposed leader and his wife would face the “full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil.”
(Additional reporting from Bloomberg.)