In a statement, China’s Foreign Ministry said it was “gravely concerned” by Washington’s actions.

“China expresses grave concern over the US forcibly seizing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country,” the ministry said.

The statement added that the move violated international law and fundamental norms governing international relations.

“The US move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter,” it said. “China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela, and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation.”

US President Donald Trump has said Maduro and Flores were captured during a large-scale US military operation in Caracas and would face criminal charges in New York.

According to media reports, Maduro met a visiting Chinese delegation at the Miraflores Presidential Palace just hours before the operation. The delegation reportedly included Lan Hu, Venezuela’s Chinese ambassador; Liu Bo, director-general of China’s Foreign Ministry department for Latin America and the Caribbean; Wang Hao, deputy director-general of the same department; and regional official Liu Zhen, according to The Chosun Daily.

Meanwhile, a video circulating on social media appears to show Maduro being escorted by officers of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) inside the agency’s headquarters in lower Manhattan, New York, on Saturday. The footage was shared by the US Rapid Response official account on X.

Media reports said Maduro and Flores were captured during an early-morning operation carried out by US special forces in Caracas on Saturday local time. The couple was subsequently flown to the United States, arriving at a military base later that evening before being transferred to New York City.

US media reported that the 63-year-old Venezuelan leader is expected to be moved from the DEA facility to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, a federal jail that previously held rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs during his trial last year.

Maduro and Flores have reportedly been charged with narco-terrorism, alleged involvement in trafficking large quantities of cocaine into the United States, and possession of illegal weapons.

The developments have triggered strong international reactions, with Venezuela seeking urgent diplomatic consultations and demanding proof of the president’s safety, as global leaders closely monitor the rapidly unfolding situation.