The African Union (AU) has broken its silence on the military raid in Caracas, issuing a searing communiqué that characterises the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as an "abduction" and a direct assault on international law.

The statement, released from the AU headquarters on Saturday, January 3, 2026, signals a widening diplomatic rift between the 55-member continental bloc and the Trump administration following the launch of Operation Absolute Resolve.

In the release, the AU Commission expressed "grave concern" over the military strikes that rocked the Venezuelan capital overnight.

The bloc, which has historically been sensitive to external regime changes due to Africa’s own history of colonial and Cold War interventions, framed the incident as a violation of the United Nations Charter.

“The African Union is following with grave concern the recent developments... including reports of the abduction of the President of the Republic, Mr. Nicolás Maduro, and military attacks on Venezuelan institutions,” the communiqué stated.

The AU further reaffirmed its “steadfast commitment to the fundamental principles of international law, including respect for the sovereignty of States, their territorial integrity, and the right of peoples to self-determination.”

The AU’s condemnation stands in contrast to the triumphant atmosphere in Washington.

Earlier, President Donald Trump confirmed that elite Delta Force units, supported by more than 150 aircraft, extracted Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores from their home in Caracas.

Trump, who posted a photograph of a blindfolded Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, announced that the United States would run Venezuela temporarily to get the oil flowing and oversee a transition of power.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has since indicted Maduro on charges of narcoterrorism and cocaine importation.

The African Union emphasised that the solution to Venezuela's protracted economic and political crisis must come from within.

Rejecting the idea of an externally imposed transition, the AU called for a return to the negotiating table.

“The complex internal challenges facing Venezuela can only be sustainably addressed through inclusive political dialogue among Venezuelans themselves,” the AU stressed, adding that it underscores the importance of “dialogue, peaceful settlement of disputes, and respect for constitutional and institutional frameworks.”

By expressing its “solidarity with the Venezuelan people,” the AU joined a chorus of international voices—including Russia, China, and Brazil—that have labelled the U.S. action a "dangerous precedent".

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has already scheduled an emergency Security Council meeting for January 5 to discuss the legality of the strikes.

The AU’s reaction is being seen by analysts as a significant indicator of Global South sentiment.

While U.S. allies like Argentina and Ecuador have cheered the "fall of a dictator", the African Union’s emphasis on “good neighbourliness, cooperation, and peaceful coexistence” highlights a deep fear of a return to gunboat diplomacy.

As Maduro awaits processing at the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York, the African Union has called on all parties to “exercise restraint, responsibility, and respect for international law to prevent any escalation and to preserve regional peace and stability.”