Such violations of international law must be avoided, said Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevost, quoted by local media, in a comment on the capture of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela and his transfer to the United States, three days after the events, BTA reported.
No one would regret the fate of Maduro, whose legitimacy as president was not recognized by either Belgium, the EU, or (most of) the other countries, Prevost said. He noted that due to Maduro's policies in recent years, at least eight million Venezuelans have left the country.
The minister called Maduro "a gangster close to drug traffickers" and assessed it as "rather nice" that he will no longer lead his country.
As for the way in which the operation was carried out, questions arise, especially for countries like ours, a staunch defender of international law, said Prevost. For small countries like ours, which are neither a military nor an economic power, the best protection for security is international law, he added. According to the Belgian minister, the approach applied in this case by the United States can be used "only exceptionally".
Prevost specified that he was in Washington and would talk to his hosts to explain the concerns of Europeans and other countries around the world about such actions. We must avoid such violations of international law, which regulates the way the world works, otherwise tomorrow difficulties may arise for countries like ours, the Belgian minister summarized.