Hours after a U.S. military operation in Venezuela reportedly caused explosions in Caracas and other cities, countries and intergovernmental organizations reacted with concern. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack as an “act of armed aggression” and called for restraint and dialogue to resolve the situation. ran, which maintains close ties with Venezuela, also condemned the U.S. action.

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the strike as a “blatant violation of national sovereignty and territorial integrity” and criticized the attack as illegal.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) convened a conference of heads of government on 3 January, warning that the situation poses “grave concern to the region with possible implications for neighboring countries.” Caricom confirmed it will provide updates as more information emerges. Trinidad and Tobago, whose Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stressed the country was not involved in any military operations, reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining peaceful relations with Venezuela.

European nations also reacted. Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Rome was closely monitoring developments, particularly the safety of about 160,000 Italians living in Venezuela, while Germany’s foreign ministry established a crisis team to review the situation. Spain called for moderation, de-escalation, and adherence to international law, reiterating its support for democratic solutions and protection of Venezuelan civilians.

In the U.S.,  President Donald Trump described the military action as a “brilliant operation,” to the New York Times, praising the planning and troops involved. In contrast, Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López condemned the U.S. strike as a “deplorable” regime change operation, claiming the invading forces had “desecrated our sacred land” and calling on citizens and soldiers to resist.