Overview
- The United Nations Security Council will convene an emergency meeting on January 5 at Venezuela's request, according to the meeting schedule.
- China's Foreign Ministry issued a formal statement condemning the use of force against a sovereign state's president and demanded the immediate release of Nicolás Maduro.
- The Washington Post reported that a Chinese special envoy met Maduro in Caracas only hours before U.S. forces detained him, sharpening diplomatic tensions.
- Japan's government issued a guarded statement emphasizing stability and avoided direct comment on the detention, reflecting a balance between rule-of-law principles and alliance considerations.
- Reporting points to U.S. objectives that include securing control of Venezuelan oil assets and facilitating a transition of power.