The Philippines expressed concern over the evolving situation in Venezuela, emphasizing the independence, sovereign equality of nations, and its impact on peace and stability in the region as well as the rules-based international order.
DFA said that international law, including the UN Charter, must be respected, and any retreat or use of force and interference in the domestic affairs of other countries should be avoided. The Philippines also advised all parties to exercise restraint to restore peace in Venezuela and protect the safety of Filipinos in the country and surrounding areas.
US President Donald Trump announced the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores de Maduro, and that they will be brought before a US criminal court on charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking. Trump has declared that the US will govern Venezuela until there is an orderly transition of power and modernization of the oil infrastructure.
According to the DFA, there are 74 Filipinos in Venezuela, and the embassy in Bogota has issued a travel and safety advisory for their protection. Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said that the situation has "almost no effect" on the Philippine economy because the direct connection with the Venezuelan economy is limited.
The PNP is alerted to possible protests in the country and has guarded the US embassy and other critical areas. The activist group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan also stated that what the US did was clearly imperialist aggression, and that it was against the sovereignty of Venezuela and the UN Charter.
