The recent military actions by the United States against Venezuela, including the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, have drawn widespread international condemnation, particularly from the African Union (AU) and various African leaders. Legalbrief Africa noted the AU's strong stance, with Anadolu Ajanse reporting the pan-African bloc's urgent call for restraint and respect for international law. The AU expressed grave concern over developments in Venezuela, warning against any escalation that could jeopardize regional peace and stability. The organization stressed that Venezuela's complex internal challenges can only be resolved through inclusive political dialogue among its own citizens and reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of state sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right to self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter, extending solidarity to the Venezuelan people.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni explicitly linked Maduro's arrest to a critical need for Africa to bolster its strategic security across all domains – land, sea, air, and space. According to the Nile Post, Museveni highlighted the multi-dimensional approach employed by powerful nations like the US, observing Africa's current disadvantages in naval, air, and space capabilities. He underscored that Africa's fragmented strategic capacity poses a significant risk that leaders must address. Museveni praised East African leaders for regional protection efforts and urged the continent not to remain passive in space technology, advocating for unity through languages like Kiswahili. He warned that without a continental center of gravity, Africa remains vulnerable, unlike smaller nations that benefit from the defense of larger allies.

The South African Government promptly called for a UN Security Council (UNSC) meeting in response to the attacks, News24 reported. It expressed profound concern over what it termed the Trump administration's "large-scale military strike against Venezuela" and the capture of the Maduros. Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations & Cooperation (Dirco), condemned the US actions as a clear violation of the UN Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force against another state's territorial integrity or political independence, and disallows external military intervention in domestic matters of sovereign nations, as conveyed by the Daily Maverick. Dirco's head of public diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, questioned the adherence to an "international rules-based order" on X, suggesting a return to the "law of the jungle" and citing a violation of UN Charter Article 2(4) on non-interference/force. Former Economic Freedom Fighters MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi described the operation as a shocking display of unilateral force, raising questions about the efficacy of China and Russia as counter-forces to perceived "USA Disorder." Venezuela's government itself condemned the strikes as military aggression and a violation of its sovereignty. International observers, including expert Anthoni van Nieuwkerk, echoed these concerns, agreeing that the US had violated several international principles such as sovereignty, international law, peaceful dispute resolution, the referral of disputes to the UN system, and kidnapping.

Amidst these condemnations, the UNSC was scheduled to meet, CNBC reported. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep alarm over the US action, with his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stating that it set "a dangerous precedent" and emphasized the importance of full respect for international law, including the UN Charter, which Guterres felt had not been upheld.

Writing in Business Insider Africa, Segun Adeyemi argued that this attack signals a broader strategic posture with far-reaching consequences for both Latin America and Africa. He suggested it reinforces the urgent need for African unity, financial, monetary, and political sovereignty to break structural constraints like dependency on the US dollar and Western financial institutions, echoing aspirations once championed by leaders like Gaddafi. Adeyemi viewed the Venezuelan episode not just as a regional crisis but as a contemporary manifestation of a historical pattern where global powers leverage economic and military might to dictate resource distribution, political alignment, and global governance. He highlighted that for Africa's leading nations, these developments offer direct lessons on how dominant global powers might act when strategic resources or geopolitical advantages are perceived to be at stake. African economies, particularly Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, and Kenya, remain deeply intertwined with the US financial system, with their foreign reserves, trade finance, and international debts denominated in dollars. Adeyemi contended that a common currency and integrated economic institutions for Africa would reduce external reliance, enable greater control over fiscal and monetary policies, and foster intra-continental investment. He concluded that while a fully realized United Africa might be a long-term goal, its core principles – economic autonomy, monetary innovation, intra-continental trade expansion, and cooperative security – are attainable and critically needed.

Nigeria's silence on the US attack on Venezuela has also been questioned, as reported by the Vanguard. Paul Ibe, a media aide to former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar, raised concerns on Facebook regarding the Nigerian government's lack of an official statement, citing its implications for international diplomacy and sovereignty. This came weeks after former President Trump had threatened action following allegations from Washington that Islamist militants were targeting Christians in Nigeria, a claim the Nigerian government had described as a "gross misrepresentation of reality," according to BBC News. Trump had subsequently announced US forces attacked the Islamic State (IS) group in Nigeria on Christmas Day. Ibe urged President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, and presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga to clarify Nigeria's position. Furthermore, former Nigerian Senator Shehu Sani and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore condemned the action against Maduro, Punch reported. Sani drew parallels to previous US military interventions, noting Trump's past condemnations of Bush for removing Saddam Hussein (2003) and Obama for removing Muammar Gaddafi (2011), contrasting them with his current actions without Congressional consent or regard for international law. Sowore, in his critique, declared the UN to be "impotent, compromised, and largely irrelevant" due to its persistent failure to curb unilateral aggression and war crimes, advocating for its replacement with a "truly credible coalition of nation-states."

The Communist Party of Kenya also condemned the US invasion of Venezuela, labeling it an illegal and imperialist act, as reported by the China Daily. The party expressed concern over perceived threats by US President Donald Trump and his Western allies to interfere in Iran's internal affairs. Mwandawiro Mghanga, the party chairperson, called upon the international community to condemn these actions and warned against repeating historical mistakes reminiscent of the rise of fascism led by Adolf Hitler. Mghanga emphasized that while today it is Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba, such actions could eventually affect the entire world, including Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and even the USA itself. He urged progressives globally to rise up, hold demonstrations, and show solidarity with Venezuela's leadership.

The US Justice Department, meanwhile, has unsealed an indictment accusing Nicolás Maduro of leading a "corrupt, illegitimate government" fueled by an extensive drug-trafficking operation that flooded the US with thousands of tons of cocaine, The Guardian reported. The arrest of Maduro and his wife in Venezuela sets the stage for a major test for US prosecutors. Attorney-General Pam Bondi stated on X that the Maduros "will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts." Maduro is indicted alongside his wife, his son, and three others on four counts: narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices – charges mirroring those from a 2020 indictment during the first Trump presidency. A White House social media video reportedly showed Maduro, smiling, being escorted through a US Drug Enforcement Administration office in New York. The indictment alleges Maduro partnered with "violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists," including the Sinaloa cartel and Tren de Aragua gang, to facilitate cocaine shipments into the US, with profits funnelled to high-ranking officials. Authorities claim Maduro and his family provided "law enforcement cover and logistical support" to cartels, enabling the trafficking of up to 250 tons of cocaine annually through Venezuela by 2020. The US further accuses Maduro and his wife of ordering kidnappings, beatings, and murders against those who owed them drug money or undermined their operations. Maduro's wife is also specifically accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in 2007 to arrange a meeting between a "large-scale drug trafficker" and the director of Venezuela's National Anti-Drug Office.