Somaliland’s government voiced its backing Sunday for the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, framing the operation as a step toward reinstating democratic rule and tackling cross-border crime in the troubled Latin American country.
In a statement from its foreign ministry, the self-declared republic — which broke away from Somalia in 1991 but lacks broad international recognition — aligned “in principle” with Washington’s actions, describing them as a “calibrated international effort aimed at restoring constitutional order and democratic legitimacy.”
“Such engagement could also help counter transnational criminal networks operating in and around Venezuela, while supporting a peaceful, Venezuelan-led political transition grounded in national sovereignty, accountability, and respect for human rights,” the ministry added.
The endorsement stressed Somaliland’s stance is “rooted in international norms and collective security considerations, stressing the importance of coordinated global action to address prolonged political instability and human suffering.”
The US raid, announced by President Donald Trump on Saturday, involved airstrikes and ground forces that deposed Maduro after years of escalating tensions, with Washington accusing him of ties to drug cartels — claims he has rejected as a pretext for seizing Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
Trump hailed the mission as “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history,” pledging that the US would “run” Venezuela temporarily until a transition is complete to avoid “the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.”
He added that “very large United States oil companies” would soon enter the country “to fix the badly broken oil infrastructure and start making money for the country,” insisting the move “will make the people of Venezuela rich, independent and safe.”
Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were flown out of Venezuela to face narco-terrorism and cocaine importation charges in New York, marking the boldest US incursion in the region since the 1989 Panama invasion.
Somaliland’s support adds to a patchwork of international responses, with some nations applauding the ouster while others, including human rights groups, condemn it as a violation of sovereignty amid Venezuela’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
