Senators on Sunday, January 4 expressed alarm over the United States’ operation on Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

Senator Imee Marcos (Senate PRIB photo)

Sen. Imee Marcos, the president’s sister, said the situation in Venezuela underscores long-standing concerns regarding the role of major powers, particularly the US, in the internal affairs of states they consider strategically important.

“The United States, in particular, has at various points in history been associated with policies that have supported political transitions or leadership changes in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Panama, Nicaragua, and the Philippines,” Marcos said in a statement.

“The removal or extraction of a foreign leader from his home country may raise serious questions under international law and could send troubling signals to the international community, potentially reinforcing perceptions that power, rather than rules, determines outcomes in global affairs,” she further said.

Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, on the other hand, said the Philippines first and foremost concern should be the well-being and safety of the Filipinos who may be affected by the evolving situation in Venezuela.

“While I stand with those who firmly believe in the peaceful resolution of conflicts, prudence dictates that we allow tensions to subside and more facts to emerge before making definitive pronouncements,” Estrada said.

“At this point, it is premature to conclude whether international law has been violated, especially as the United States government maintains that the incident was part of a law-enforcement operation,” he said.

But in situations such as what occurred in Venezuela, Estrada said restraing and careful assessment “are essential to avoid speculation and unnecessary escalation.”