The EU-LAT Network is a pluralistic network of European movements and organizations that promote solidarity between the people of Latin America and Europe.
Its membership of over 43 European non-profits and individual members includes PBI-Guatemala, PBI-Honduras, PBI-Mexico and PBI-Nicaragua.
On January 5, 2026, the EU-LAT Network urged “the European Union to Reject Military Actions Carried Out in Venezuelan Territory”.
Their statement highlights: “The EU-LAT Network expresses its dismay at the violation of international law committed by the US government in Venezuela on January 3, 2026… The US armed aggression comes after months of escalating tension, which has included a significant military deployment off the Venezuelan coast and a series of lethal attacks. …We categorically reject this illegal military intervention, whose stated objective is the control of the country’s oil resources and their administration by a foreign power.”
It concludes: “From the EU-LAT Network, we urge the European Union and its Member States to clearly and publicly express their rejection of this military intervention and to call on the US government to refrain from resorting to the use of force and threats against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Venezuela.”
The two-page statement was posted by the EU-LAT Advocacy Network on LinkedIn here. The full statement can also be read below.
The EU-LAT Network Urges the European Union to Reject Military Actions Carried Out in Venezuelan Territory
The EU-LAT Network expresses its dismay at the violation of international law committed by the US government in Venezuela on January 3, 2026, and joins the warnings issued by its members and allied organizations, as well as the alarm raised by the UN Secretary-General regarding the serious impacts of these events on peace, democracy, and human rights in the region and the world.
The US armed aggression comes after months of escalating tension, which has included a significant military deployment off the Venezuelan coast and a series of lethal attacks. These actions threaten regional stability, represent a serious violation of the UN Charter, and flagrantly undermine the rules-based international order. Furthermore, the region has widely supported this issue during the recent CELAC-EU Summit. Moreover, these actions set dangerous precedents within a worrying trend toward a new international order where dialogue and norms appear to be replaced by the law of the strongest.
The international community is aware that Venezuela is experiencing a prolonged democratic decline, a breakdown of the rule of law, and a complete closure of civic space, which has led to an unprecedented social, economic, and humanitarian crisis, forcing the migration of approximately 8 million Venezuelans from the country. Nicolás Maduro has remained in power following the 2014 elections, which failed to meet standards of electoral integrity and transparency, a situation widely condemned by the international community. During his administration, various actors have been involved in serious and systematic human rights violations and crimes against humanity, widely documented in regional forums of the OAS, the European Union, and the United Nations.
While acknowledging the gravity of this situation, we warn of the serious risk of further and massive human rights violations occurring amidst the current high uncertainty, in the context of a state of emergency, and in light of recent declarations by the United States government regarding its intention to administer the country. As the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has stated, human rights must, without exception, take precedence. The Venezuelan people need and deserve solutions that fully comply with international law, guarantee accountability for human rights violations, and do not exacerbate the situation in the country.
Therefore, we categorically reject this illegal military intervention, whose stated objective is the control of the country’s oil resources and their administration by a foreign power. We stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people who, for decades, have been victims of grave human rights violations. We affirm that the only way to resolve this crisis must be through the Venezuelan people themselves, with the active support and accompaniment of the international community, using peaceful and democratic mechanisms, in full respect for international law and the principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, and self-determination of peoples.
The commitment of the European Union and its Member States to democracy, justice, and fundamental freedoms requires a clear and unwavering defense of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. These are not optional: they are a guiding framework, both in times of calm and in times of crisis, such as the one Venezuela is experiencing today. From the EU-LAT Network, we urge the European Union and its Member States to clearly and publicly express their rejection of this military intervention and to call on the US government to refrain from resorting to the use of force and threats against the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Venezuela.
