The United States has carried out air strikes in Venezuela and toppled its President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro and his wife were taken into custody by American forces and transferred to a detention facility in New York, where he is being questioned over alleged drug-trafficking offences.

Venezuelan officials claimed at least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed in the attack.

Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez condemned the operation as a “kidnapping” and accused Washington of acting with what she described as “Zionist undertones”.

US President Donald Trump said the United States would take control of Venezuela and make use of the country’s vast oil reserves.

The UN Security Council will meet on Monday to discuss the situation. Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the US action risked setting “a dangerous precedent” in international relations.

Critics have questioned whether the apparent disregard for international law could embolden other global powers to pursue similar actions, citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and China’s posture towards Taiwan.

Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former strong Trump supporter, publicly questioned the double standard.

“Why is it acceptable for America to militarily invade, bomb and arrest a foreign leader, while Russia is condemned for invading Ukraine and China is criticised over Taiwan?” she said. “Is it only acceptable when we do it?”

“This is naked US imperialism”

Iran, which many believe is in the crosshairs of Trump, condemned the strikes as a “flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty.”

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also denounced the operation, calling it a breach of international law.

“The leader of Venezuela and his wife were seized in a United States military operation of unusual scope and nature,” he wrote on X. “Such actions constitute an unlawful use of force against a sovereign state.”

Turkey urged the parties involved to exercise caution. “Türkiye attaches importance to the stability of Venezuela and to the peace and well being of the people of Venezuela,” said a statement issued by Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the UK, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer — a former human rights lawyer — declined to say whether the US action violated international law.

Several British politicians drew attention to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, questioning Washington’s motives.

“This is naked US imperialism,” said Your Party MP Zarah Sultana. “An illegal assault on Caracas aimed at overthrowing a sovereign government and plundering its resources. Starmer’s Labour government must condemn this unequivocally.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper should condemn the “illegal strike and breach of international human rights law.”

Independent MPs Ayoub Khan and Shockat Adam also condemned the operation, describing it as a “clear and egregious violation” of international law and a replay of a “well-worn imperial playbook”.

Several Latin American governments criticised the US action, as did Venezuela’s allies Russia and China.

Meanwhile, authoritarian leaders aligned with Trump backed the actions, including Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu.