Kallas defends the need to uphold international law amid EU’s non-recognition of Maduro
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, has defended the need to “respect International Law” in any action regarding Venezuela, even in a scenario in which the European Union does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as having any legitimacy after fraudulent elections.
Her statements come amid a sharp rise in tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of possible ground operations against the Chavista narco-regime and declared that Maduro “has his days numbered.”
Before the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, Kallas warned that the world is going through a moment of “total chaos,” in which international rules are being ignored by numerous actors, and stressed that the EU must remain a “defender of that legal framework.” “Every step must be in compliance with International Law,” she insisted, referring to the anti-narcotics operations Washington is considering in Caribbean waters, thereby rejecting their efforts.
The former prime minister of Estonia reiterated Brussels’ official position on Venezuela: Maduro lacks legitimacy, since the records from the July 28, 2024 elections could not be verified, which invalidates the process. Even so, she emphasized that the EU wants to maintain a presence on the ground, remain in contact with the opposition, and strengthen support for the fight against transnational organized crime.
Kallas’s remarks once again highlight Brussels’ ongoing contradiction: it denounces the Chavista usurpation, but prioritizes legal formalism even in the face of a regime accused of drug trafficking and systematic human rights violations.
