Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro met with Chinese envoy Qiu Xiaoqi at the Miraflores Palace shortly before U.S. forces said they captured him and his wife. The Trump administration described the action as targeting alleged drug-trafficking and illegitimate rule, while China condemned the operation as a violation of sovereignty and international law. The incident highlights rising U.S.-China tensions in Latin America and the strategic competition over influence in the region.
Maduro Met Chinese Envoy Hours Before U.S. Forces Captured Him; Beijing Condemns Operation
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro received a Chinese government representative, Qiu Xiaoqi, at the presidential palace in Caracas on Friday, hours before Maduro was captured by the U.S.
Just hours before U.S. forces announced they had captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Maduro met with Qiu Xiaoqi, Beijing’s special representative for Latin American affairs, at the Miraflores Presidential Palace. The meeting underscored the growing strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing in the Western Hemisphere.
What Happened
Maduro received Qiu on Friday and reaffirmed Caracas’ close ties with China, saying Venezuela would work with partners to build a "multipolar world of development and peace." Later that evening, President Donald Trump met with U.S. Ambassador to China David Perdue. Hours after these meetings, Trump announced that U.S. forces had struck targets across Venezuela, taken Maduro and his wife into custody, and flown them out of the country — a major escalation in U.S. pressure on Caracas.
Official Statements
President Trump: Asked on Fox & Friends about the China meeting, Trump said he has "a very good relationship with Xi" and added, "There’s not going to be a problem. They’re going to get oil."
China’s Foreign Ministry: Beijing said it was "deeply shocked" and "strongly condemns the U.S.'s blatant use of force against a sovereign state and its action against its president." The statement called the action a violation of international law and warned it threatens peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Context
The U.S. operation represents one of the most direct military actions against a sitting Latin American head of state since the 1989 intervention in Panama. The Trump administration framed the capture as the culmination of months of allegations that Maduro and his inner circle were involved in drug trafficking into the United States and had ruled illegitimately.
China has invested heavily across Latin America through financing, infrastructure projects and energy deals — including substantial purchases of Venezuelan oil — as part of its broader Belt and Road engagement. U.S. officials have long expressed concern over Chinese, Russian and Iranian support for the Maduro government as Venezuela faced economic collapse, international isolation, and corruption and narcotrafficking allegations.
Implications
Analysts say the episode could intensify great-power competition in the region. Washington has signaled a renewed willingness to counter foreign influence in the Americas, invoking the spirit of the Monroe Doctrine to oppose strategic footholds by rival powers. Beijing’s strong condemnation signals the risk of widening diplomatic tensions between the two countries over influence in Latin America.
Developing story: Further details and international reactions are likely to follow as governments and multilateral bodies assess the legality and geopolitical consequences of the operation.
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