Caracas [Venezuela], January 5 (ANI): Venezuela's Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez on Sunday strongly condemned the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro Moros by the United States, terming it a 'kidnapping' and demanding his immediate release along with that of First Lady Cilia Flores, reported Elcooperante.

Addressing a press conference, Padrino Lopez said the detention of Maduro amounted to a serious violation of Venezuela's sovereignty and constitutional order. 'Yesterday they kidnapped the person whom the Venezuelan people chose as their president, elected for the 2025-2030 term. Nicolas Maduro is the authentic and genuine constitutional leader of all Venezuelans,' he said.

The Defence Minister described the arrest as an act of injustice, not only against Maduro but also against his wife. He said it was 'an act of profound injustice unleashed against a man and also against a woman of Christian values and principles, who was taken away in handcuffs,' writes Elcooperante.

Reiterating the stance of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), Padrino Lopez said the military fully supports Maduro and demanded the immediate release of both the President and the First Lady. 'We demand the prompt release of our commander-in-chief and the first lady, Cilia Flores de Maduro,' he said, as quoted by local media.

Padrino Lopez urged the international community to closely observe what he described as an attack on Venezuela's sovereignty. 'We ask the world to observe everything that is happening against Venezuela, against our sovereignty and against our Constitution,' he stated.

He also expressed gratitude to governments and people around the world who, according to him, have rejected what he termed a blatant intervention in Venezuelan internal affairs. The Defence Minister said such actions posed a broader risk beyond Venezuela.

'These acts represent a threat to the global order,' he warned, adding that similar actions could be repeated against other sovereign nations. He criticised what he called a revival of interventionist policies, stating, 'We in Venezuela reject this Monroe Doctrine and colonialist approach that they want to implement in Latin America and the Caribbean.'

Calling for calm within the country, Padrino Lopez appealed to citizens to maintain peace and stability. He urged people to resume normal economic activities and respect constitutional processes.

'I call upon the people of Venezuela for peace and order, not to fall into the psychological warfare and fear they want to impose on us,' he said, adding that the nation must return to and uphold its constitutional path. (ANI)