GENEVA

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Sunday that while Venezuela's leadership lacks democratic legitimacy, all states must respect international law following US military action in the Latin American country that captured President Nicolas Maduro.

In a post on US social media platform X, Stubb said "Nicolás Maduro's regime has long been illegitimate," and "the elections in 2024 were grossly unfair." He said Finland has previously stated this position "as a part of the EU," and that "the Union has also imposed sanctions on Venezuela."

But Stubb also stressed the importance of international law, saying: "However, all states have a responsibility to respect and comply with international law."

"Preserving this principle is in Finland's vital interests. It is a corner stone of our foreign policy," he added.

Stubb said the priority now is political change in Venezuela, saying: “Right now it is important to support the transition to a democratic government.”

Finland, he added, is "monitoring the situation closely."

Venezuela early Saturday said the US attacked civilian and military installations in multiple states, and then declared ‌a national ‌emergency.

US President Donald Trump later confirmed the "large-scale" strike, and that Maduro and his wife had been captured and flown out of the country. He later said the US will "run" Venezuela until a "safe" transtion is ensured, and fix its "broken" oil infrastructure.

The attacks came after months of growing US pressure on Maduro, who Washington accuses of being involved in drug trafficking. The Venezuelan leader had denied the claims and expressed readiness for talks.