The German Social Democratic Party (SPD) has issued a scathing critique of the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela and the attempted detention of President Nicolás Maduro, sharply diverging from the stance of its coalition partners. SPD parliamentary group deputy and defense policy spokesperson Siemtje Möller condemned the action as “unacceptable and a serious violation of international law” highlighting concerns that the U.S. is “blatantly disregarding international rules.
Möller articulated a worry that the intervention represents “another alarming step in the ongoing decline of a once-stable democratic power” raising questions about the long-term stability of the international order. Critically, she accused U.S. President Donald Trump of employing the Venezuela crisis as a deliberate distraction from domestic political challenges, including recent election defeats and declining approval ratings. “Mr. Trump apparently sees no limits to the measures he will take to divert attention” Möller stated, suggesting a calculated manipulation of international norms to achieve political gains.
The comparison extended further. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the Free Democratic Party’s (FDP) defense policy representative, drew parallels between Trump’s actions in Venezuela and those of Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, observing that both leaders are aggressively asserting influence within their respective spheres while openly disregarding international law. She characterized Trump’s move as a “clear warning” directed at Denmark and Greenland, underscoring a willingness to utilize coercive tactics when voluntary cooperation falters.
The implications for European foreign policy were starkly articulated by Strack-Zimmermann, who urged the rapid development of a unified European foreign policy and robust security strategy. “Europe cannot afford to waste any more time” she warned, emphasizing the existential stakes: “Either we Europeans take a seat at the global political table – or we end up on the menu.
Echoing the condemnation, Sahra Wagenknecht, founder of the “Basis Movement for Values and Freedom” (BSW), denounced the U.S. operation as a “flagrant violation of all the rules of international law” alleging that it was executed to secure access to Venezuelan oil resources. Wagenknecht labeled the intervention “state terrorism” and demanded that the German government strongly condemn the action and actively reject it through diplomatic channels, even suggesting the immediate expulsion of the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Berlin as a measure of protest. The diverging responses within the German political landscape underscore the fragility of transatlantic alliances and the escalating tensions surrounding U.S. foreign policy in Latin America.
