Jayanty Nada Shofa, Jakarta – Indonesia has urged everyone to pursue dialogue to prevent further escalation after US forces captured the now-ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The United States has attacked Venezuela, captured Maduro and his wife in an operation that lasted less than 3 hours on Saturday. Some countries, like China, have called on US President Donald Trump to immediately release the Venezuelan leader. Indonesia – which is currently on the final stage of a tariff deal with the US – zeroes in on the need for dialogue.
"Indonesia urges all parties to exercise dialogue and self-restraint and to fully respect international law, including the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and international humanitarian law," a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Sunday night reads.
The statement did not explicitly mention the US or Trump by name, as Jakarta wrote that it was "closely monitoring the latest developments in Venezuela". However, Southeast Asia's biggest economy warned that the use of force could be a bad precedent.
"Indonesia expresses its grave concern over any actions involving the use or threat of force, which risk setting a dangerous precedent in international relations and could undermine regional stability, peace, and the principles of sovereignty and diplomacy," the ministry said.
"It is imperative that the international community respects the right and the will of the people of Venezuela to exercise their sovereignty and to determine their own path and future."
The government has said that all Indonesians in Venezuela are safe.
President Prabowo Subianto will meet Trump in Washington later this month to sign the long-awaited trade deal. Prabowo has yet to comment on Maduro's ouster and chose to have his foreign ministry deliver the message.
The ASEAN bloc, of which Jakarta is a part, has yet to issue a joint statement as of this writing. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had directly slammed the US operations as a "clear violation of international law". The Singaporean government also admitted that it was "gravely concerned by the US intervention" in Venezuela.
Maduro is currently in US custody as he awaits his first court appearance for drugs and weapons charges on Monday at noon New York time. Trump has accused the Maduro government of having flooded the US with drugs and gang members. He has also unveiled plans to temporarily "run" Venezuela as the American politician eyes the country's abundant oil reserves.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/dialogue-please-indonesia-on-us-capture-of-venezuelas-madur