Venezuela has formally requested the United Nations to immediately release President Nicolás Maduro, following his abduction by US military forces in early January during an operation denounced as “illegal.” Foreign Minister Yván Gil addressed the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on the 23rd, demanding the “immediate release” of President Maduro and his wife Cilia, who are being held in New York awaiting trial. Maduro has pleaded not guilty to US drug trafficking charges, describing himself as a “prisoner of war.”
Under the pretext of leading a cartel involved in drug and arms trafficking, Maduro was abducted from the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas and transferred to a prison in New York to await legal proceedings. January 3 marked an extremely serious turning point. Gil also condemned the US military’s illegal operations in Venezuela, which resulted in the deaths of over 100 people. Despite the profound technical and military asymmetry between Venezuela and the US nuclear power, Gil stated that Venezuela has chosen to open diplomatic channels to resolve differences between the two countries.
Venezuela is working towards a process of acknowledging past traumas, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Gil noted that the National Assembly unanimously approved a new Amnesty Law on February 19.