By Svetlana Marshall

Warning that continued violation of international laws by superpowers like the United States of America can have major implications for sovereign states like Guyana, former President of Guyana Donald Ramotar, today lashed out at US over its capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife during a military operation in Venezuela on Saturday.

Hours after the bombing of Caracas and the capture of the Venezuelan President and his wife, the former President said the US has taken the world back to the days of “gunboat diplomacy.”

In an interview with News Source this afternoon, Mr. Ramotar said just like Israel, the United States continues to violate international laws with impunity, and if not stopped, countries like Guyana can forget about what it means to be sovereign.

“To move into a country, a sovereign country, and to arrest the President and his wife in the dead of night and take them away, it’s a violation of international law, damages our international institutions, and if a stop is not put to it, if we do not reestablish international law for all of us, then countries like ours can forget the term sovereignty, that we will have no sovereignty, that we’ll have to do whatever we are told to do by any big power that feel that they have the military might to dictate their positions,” the former President said.

He said there are major implications for not only Latin America and the Caribbean, but the world at large.

His comments are contrast to that of President Irfaan Ali, who said his Government welcomes the leadership of the President of the United States in reaffirming shared commitments to freedom, democracy and regional security.

Former President Ramotar said while Venezuela has falsely laid claims to two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, and Guyana appreciates the support of the US in pushing back against such baseless claims, the country should not turn a blind to the violation of international law and the destruction of international institutions.

He said he prefers to stand on the right side of history.

“I think it would be in the interest of Guyana to stand up for international law because that is what would protect us more than anything else. Small countries like Guyana needs to be protected by international law, otherwise, the law of the jungle will prevail and we will be at the mercies of the whims and fancies of any powerful country that got their eyes on us. So, I understand why some people feel that because Venezuela has made this unjustified claim, and the US has come out in support of us but I don’t think that would justify us closing our eyes from the violation of international law and the destruction of international institutions,” the former President said.

Ahead of Saturday’s attacks, the US, while describing Maduro as a narco-trafficker, carried out a number of air strikes in the Caribbean Sea targeting suspected drug boats from Venezuela.

President Ali, on numerous occasions, said Guyana was in full support of the actions of the US, noting that the narco trade has had a negative impact on the Region.

But Mr Ramotar said there is no evidence to support the claims of the US, particularly in regards to Maduro.

“All of the experts are saying that is not true. Even if you look at the United Nations report in 2025 about narcotics, Venezuela is mentioned is mentioned once in that report, where they say a small amount of drugs pass through Venezuela going to Europe and the United States. And the European Union 2025 Report on the narcotics trade does not even mention Venezuela one time. And therefore, I am saying this is a pretext to kill people,” he said.

Mr Ramotar said while reports indicate that 32 Cubans were among those killed in last Saturday’s strikes, the total death toll is not yet known. He believes many countries in the region should be worried about the actions of the United States.

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