By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA) - The Italian government believes military action is not the way to end "totalitarian regimes," the nation's prime minister said Saturday after US strikes on Venezuela.
Giorgia Meloni said that she has followed developments in Venezuela since their very earliest stages, especially following with particular attention the situation of the country’s Italian community.
Italy, together with its main international partners, has never recognized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s "self-proclaimed electoral victory," Meloni said on the US social media company X.
"Consistent with Italy’s historic position, the government believes that external military action is not the way forward to put an end to totalitarian regimes, but at the same time considers a defensive intervention against hybrid attacks on its own security, as in the case of state entities that feed and favor drug trafficking,” she added.
Earlier Saturday, Venezuela’s government accused the US of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states, and declared a national emergency.
US President Donald Trump later confirmed the "large scale" strike, adding that President Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been "captured and flown out of the country."
The attacks came after months of growing US pressure on Maduro, who Washington accuses of being involved in drug trafficking. The Venezuelan leader had denied the claims and expressed readiness for talks.