Russia asserted that the US violated its legal obligations by kidnapping President Maduro

Published at: 15/01/2026 01:24 PM

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation stated that the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by U.S. authorities constitutes a violation of the rules governing relations between States.

The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, stated that the arrest amounts to a kidnapping and ignores the legal protection to which an incumbent head of state is entitled.

“In accordance with the universally recognized norm of international law, President Maduro enjoys absolute immunity in the jurisdiction of the United States or in any third country,” he stressed. He added that “any measure that ignores this prerogative is an act of legal piracy.”

Russia also challenged the military operation of January 3 and subsequent judicial processes, considering them invalid. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued that any decision handed down by the United States courts will be rejected by States that respect sovereignty and accused Washington of using its judicial system for political purposes, Radio Miraflores reported in a press release.

The Russian Government warned that this precedent compromises the security of leaders around the world and alters the fundamental principles of relations between nations. In this regard, Zajárova urged the US authorities to “resume compliance with global laws” and stressed that the way out of the crisis requires the recognition of the diplomatic prerogatives of the Venezuelan president and his immediate release.

“If U.S. justice does not conform to international law, it will be signing its own judgment of illegality before the eyes of the world,” the spokeswoman concluded.

Mazo News Team