Abduction of Maduro, gross violation of international law: Former Indian permanent representative to UN Geneva

New Delhi [India], January 7 : Former Indian permanent representative to UN Geneva Dilip Sinha on Wednesday said that the kidnapping or abduction of the head of state of Venezuela was a gross violation of international law, noting that now the Trump administration is forcing the interim government to sell oil to the US.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "The kidnapping or abduction of the head of state of Venezuela was a gross violation of international law. It was a military action that was unjustified. Now, what President Trump is doing is equally illegal. The interim government is being forced to sell oil to him. He has a great fixation with oil, and he wishes to use that fixation of oil to make money for himself and perhaps for his country, certainly not for the benefit of Venezuela.

He futher noted that given the fact that US military ships is still operating around Venezuela, the newly appointed acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, cannot do anything against the wishes of the United States.

"The military threat that he has posed with his ships, surrounding Venezuela, those ships are still there in position. The interim president realises that she cannot do anything against the wishes of the United States. The fact that she received the ambassadors of countries like Russia and China in Caracas and, in fact, embraced them, shows where her inclination, her mind, her heart is but she has to balance this with the reality of the US Military presence in our country..." he added.

His remarks come after the United States launched a strike on Venezuela and captured Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The couple are currently in US custody at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York, and pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges related to drugs and weapons.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, on Tuesday announced seven days of national mourning following deaths reported during the US attack in Caracas and the capture of Maduro and Flores, CNN reported.

She also noted that the country is being governed by the Government of Venezuela and not by any foreign power, rejecting claims by US President Trump, who said he needs "full access" to Venezuela.

"We are here governing alongside the people. The Government of Venezuela governs our country, no one else. There are no external agents governing Venezuela," Rodriguez said during the installation of the Agro-Food, Fishing, Communal and Industrial General Staff Commission. Her remarks were broadcast on the state-run channel Venezolana de Television (VTV), El cooperative reported.

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