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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged the international community to uphold Venezuela’s independence and territorial integrity.
In a statement issued on Sunday night, the regional bloc voiced concern over recent developments in Venezuela following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by the United States and military strikes on the capital, Caracas.
ECOWAS also expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people, stating that they should be supported as they determine the future of their country through an inclusive political process.
Over the weekend, US forces detained Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a military operation that several legal experts have described as unlawful. The couple were subsequently flown to New York, where they are being held in a Brooklyn detention facility to face charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism.
US President Donald Trump has said Washington intends to take control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves and indicated that the United States would administer the country in the interim.
While acknowledging the right of states to combat international crimes, ECOWAS stressed that such actions must comply with international law.
The bloc specifically referenced Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which obliges states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the sovereignty of other nations.
ECOWAS also aligned itself with the African Union’s position, which has called for restraint and dialogue, including engagement among Venezuelans themselves, as a means of resolving the crisis peacefully.
