Croatian citizens safe, says Ambassador following U.S. strikes on Venezuela

The United States has carried out major military strikes inside Venezuela, sharply escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced early Saturday that American forces launched a large-scale operation, with explosions reported in Caracas and several parts of northern Venezuela. Military infrastructure was among the targets.

Writing on Truth Social shortly after the strikes, Trump claimed the operation was successful and said Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife had been captured and removed from the country.

Ahead of the operation, U.S. officials accused Maduro of running a “narco-state” and rigging Venezuela’s 2024 elections.

The Venezuelan government condemned the attack as military aggression and a violation of sovereignty, declaring a state of emergency and mobilizing defence forces. Caracas accused Washington of breaching international law.

International reactions were swift. Brazil and Cuba criticized the strikes and called for de-escalation, while others urged United Nations involvement.

Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs said the Maduro regime lacked democratic legitimacy and stressed that any actions must comply with international law and protect civilians. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the EU is closely monitoring the situation and supports a peaceful, democratic transition.

Croatian Ambassador Ranko Vilović, who represents Croatia in Venezuela from the embassy in Brasília, told Croatian Radio that the approximately 5,000-member Croatian community in the country is safe.

According to Vilović, the attacks took place shortly before 2 a.m. local time and targeted military facilities, primarily air and naval bases, with no reported civilian casualties.

The strikes mark one of the most dramatic U.S. military actions in Latin America in decades, raising concerns over broader regional and international repercussions.