As the crisis escalated in Venezuela following the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) warned Monday that the unfolding showdown threatens regional stability and the rules-based international order, calling for respect for sovereignty amid what may be the biggest U.S. intervention in South America in decades.

“While acknowledging the United States’ underlying security considerations, the Philippines stresses the relevant principles of international law, including the independence and sovereign equality of states, the peaceful resolution of disputes, the prohibition against the threat or use of force, and non-interference in the domestic affairs of sovereign states,” the DFA said.

Venezuela plunged into turmoil after U.S. forces captured President Maduro in a weekend strike on Caracas, spiriting him off to a New York jail as President Trump declared America would now “run” the oil-rich nation.

“The Philippines calls on concerned parties to respect international law, including the UN Charter, exercise restraint to prevent escalation of conflict, restore peace and order in Venezuela, and promote the safety and well-being of all the people, including the Filipinos living in Venezuela and the surrounding countries,” the DFA explained.

Maduro Flown to Brooklyn Jail

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during a U.S. operation reportedly carried out by Delta Force, the Army’s elite counterterrorism unit, and flown to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where the Venezuelan leader is expected to face long-standing drug trafficking charges.

The White House said the operation followed months of U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, including the deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford and multiple warships, as well as recent strikes on boats allegedly linked to narco-trafficking.

Maduro has repeatedly denied allegations that he heads a drug cartel.

Trump Invokes ‘Don-roe Doctrine’, Brushes Aside Machado

President Trump, addressing the nation, framed the intervention as a sweeping update to the Monroe Doctrine — branding it the “Don-roe Doctrine.”

“Under Maduro, Venezuela hosted foreign adversaries in our region and acquired menacing offensive weapons that could threaten U.S. interests and lives — and they used those weapons last night,” Trump said.

He added the U.S. would oversee Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” promising American oil companies would repair the country’s shattered infrastructure and “start making money for the country.”

Trump also brushed aside opposition leader María Corina Machado as a potential interim president.

“She doesn’t have the support within or the respect within the country,” he said. “She’s a very nice woman — but she doesn’t have the respect.”

Caracas Fires Back, Names Interim President

Within hours of Maduro’s removal, Venezuela’s Supreme Court appointed Vice President Delcy Rodríguez as interim president, declaring she would assume all presidential powers to ensure “administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the nation.”

The government declared a state of national emergency, branding the U.S. action an act of “military aggression.”

“The people of Venezuela and their Bolivarian National Armed Forces, in perfect popular-military-police fusion, are deployed to guarantee sovereignty and peace,” the government said in a fiery statement.

Rodríguez Strikes Softer Tone — For Now

Despite the heated rhetoric, Rodríguez struck a more diplomatic note on Sunday, calling for a “balanced and respectful” relationship with Washington.

“We consider it a priority to move toward a balanced and respectful relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela,” she wrote on Telegram, inviting the Trump administration to work toward cooperation aimed at “shared development.”

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