German SPD chief critical of US approach in Venezuela

German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil on Sunday said the United States' intervention in Venezuela is "very worrying," after Chancellor Friedrich Merz refused to be drawn on what he considered a "complex" legal situation, reported dpa.

Klingbeil noted that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had led an authoritarian regime that clung to power through violence and repression.

"However, this cannot be a justification for disregarding international law," he said a day after Maduro's capture by the US during surprise airstrikes on targets on Venezuelan territory.

"International law must be respected. That also applies to the actions of the US."

Klingbeil, who heads Merz's coalition partner, the Social Democrats, stressed the need to prevent any further escalation.

He urged all sides to "find the path to a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela." The Venezuelan people must be able to decide their own future, he added.