ISTANBUL

France's Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday voiced the country's "regret" over the lack of respect for international law in the recent US military action in Venezuela.

"International law was not respected in the means of action used. We regret that," Pascal Confavreux told the TV channel TF1, according to the broadcaster BFMTV.

Initially, he said that captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had "lost his popular legitimacy and had not recognized the July 2024 elections" and noted that "he carried out political imprisonments."

"So, we are not going to regret him," Confavreux said, referring to the capture of Maduro by the US during the military action.

He reaffirmed that France is taking note of the situation and is anticipating a "peaceful" transition.

"We are preparing for this advent of the law of the strongest, but we do not accept it," Confavreux also said.

Speaking to BFMTV, government spokesperson Maud Bregeon further noted that France “will not shed tears over the departure" of Maduro, whom she called a "dictator."

"It is now necessary to allow Venezuela to look beyond the Maduro era, with a peaceful and democratic transition. That starts with the release of political prisoners and genuine recognition of the 2024 elections," Bregeon said.

The remarks came after President Donald Trump said that the US military action on Venezuela resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, also pledging to assert American control over the country for the time being, with US troops if necessary.

Maduro and Flores landed in New York late Saturday and are being held at a detention center in Brooklyn. They face US federal charges tied to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations.

Maduro has denied the accusations, and officials in Venezuela’s capital Caracas have called for the couple’s release.