The president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, condemned this Saturday the military operation by the United States in Venezuela that ended with the capture of Nicolás Maduro, and warned that it “sets an extremely dangerous precedent” for the stability of Latin America and the world.
From Chile, we will maintain full coherence with our principles and values. This is not about supporting or justifying dictatorships—Chile does not do that—but about who decides and with what legitimacy regarding the future of a country,” the president stated in a public declaration released from Santiago.
The president added that “sovereignty and International Law are not optional: they are the foundation of any legitimate order.”
In his message, he emphasized that the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela "violates the principle of territorial integrity" and paves the way for further aggressions under different pretexts.
"Today it's Venezuela, under the pretext of narcoterrorism and the declared intention to control its resources; tomorrow it could be any other country, with any other excuse," warned the Chilean president, emphasizing that "force cannot replace rules" as a mechanism for resolving international conflicts.
The Chilean head of state stated that “the threat of unilateral external control over the natural or strategic resources of another country constitutes a serious violation of International Law” and “endangers the stability, sovereignty, and integrity of all countries in the hemisphere.”
In his statement, the president also condemned “the announcement that a foreign state intends to exert direct control over Venezuelan territory, manage the country, and continue military operations until a political transition is imposed,” which he stated would be “unacceptable under any circumstances.”
Sovereignty is not a formality, it is the essential guarantee that protects countries from arbitrariness and the law of the stronger,” he emphasized, referring to the interventionist policy promoted by Washington.
The Chilean leader called on the United Nations to take on “an active and immediate role” to prevent military escalation and restore a framework for a political and peaceful solution in accordance with the UN Charter.
"Chile is coordinating with different governments to promote a diplomatic channel that protects the civilian population and preserves regional stability," he added.
He also stated that he is monitoring his borders due to a potential influx of migrants from the conflict-ridden nation.
The position of Santiago contrasts with that of several Latin American governments —including Ecuador, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic— which have expressed their support for the U.S. operation and the capture of Nicolás Maduro, accused of narcoterrorism and criminal conspiracy by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Chilean government reiterated that "Chile does not support dictatorships," but emphasized that "respect for International Law is a red line that must not be crossed under any circumstances."
If today a unilateral intervention is justified in the name of the fight against drug trafficking, tomorrow it could be done in the name of any other cause, concluded the president, warning about the risk of "normalizing the use of force as an instrument of foreign policy."
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