Respecting Will of Venezuelans Only Way to Restore Democracy, EU Says

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas attends a press conference after the Five Defense Ministers meeting in Berlin on Nov. 14, 2025. Ebrahim Noroozi/AP PhotoThe European Union (EU) said on Jan. 4 that the right of Venezuelans to determine the future of their country “must be respected” and called for the principles of international law to be upheld, following the U.S. raid on Caracas and capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.In a statement, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said that Brussels believes Maduro lacks the legitimacy of a democratically elected president and that the bloc has “advocated for a Venezuelan-led peaceful transition to democracy in the country, respectful of its sovereignty.”