New Zealand is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela and expects all parties to act in accordance with international law, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.
In a short statement on social media Peters said New Zealand “stands with the Venezuelan people in their pursuit of a fair, democratic and prosperous future” as the situation in the country continues to unfold.
The government has reiterated its advice that New Zealanders should not travel to Venezuela. New Zealanders who require urgent consular assistance have been advised to contact the country’s 24/7 consular emergency line on +64 99 20 20 20.
New Zealand is concerned by and actively monitoring developments in Venezuela and expects all parties to act in accordance with international law. New Zealand stands with the Venezuelan people in their pursuit of a fair, democratic and prosperous future.
We continue to advise…
— Winston Peters (@NewZealandMFA) January 3, 2026
International law is absolutely clear: deliberately targeting civilians is illegal and constitutes a war crime
This rule applies in all armed conflicts, regardless of who started the war or which side someone is on
Under international law, funding, arming, or otherwise assisting a group that commits war crimes can itself be a crime — if the supporter knows (or should know) that their assistance contributes to those crimes.
This is called aiding and abetting or complicity in war crimes, and it applies to states, organizations, and individuals.
Maybe I’ve got it wrong but I can smell the decadent nauseating stench of hypocrisy here?
Drone wars anybody?
100% Mossad operation, planned and executed in a way onlynthe Israelis can, by paying pieces of silver to a Judas in the Maduro govt and military. Delta Force my ass. The purpose is to secure Venezuelas mineral wealth to supply the US war machine before the big one against Iran. Satanyahu was in Washington just last week. Wherever that wall humping anti christ demon goes human suffering is not far behind
If the US is going to take back and administer US oil infrastructure assets in Venezuela to regulate the flow of oil this may present its Own set of problems in protecting those assets
Hugo Chávez did not “commandeer” or seize U.S.‑based oil infrastructure
Chávez nationalized Venezuela’s domestic oil assets, including U.S.‑owned operations inside Venezuela, by forcing foreign companies (including American ones) into minority‑stake joint ventures or pushing them out entirely
If the U.S. “takes back” Venezuelan oil assets (meaning U.S. companies re‑enter and rebuild Venezuela’s oil fields), it will face major security, political, and operational risks
Venezuela’s oil infrastructure is badly damaged, located in unstable regions, and would require billions of dollars and significant protection to operate safely
Venezuela is three times as big as Vietnam has dense jungles and mountainous
With unstable borders
Noted!
“President Carlos Andrés Pérez (1974-1979) proclaimed the takeover of the petroleum industry on January 1, 1976. The announcement occurred at the Mene Grande oilfield in Zulia. Crucially, the transfer from private control to a state-run model went smoothly. The major multinationals were compensated, invited to work with the new state-owned company, Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), as service and technology providers, and the process triggered no diplomatic incident with the United States.”
https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2025/12/26/the-theft-that-never-was-inside-venezuelas-1976-oil-takeover/
The stink of prevarication is overwhelming.
Note that CAP was an American asset who fled to Miami (when ousted and convicted of corruption) where he lived out his remaining years supported by the U.S. government.
The entire “they stole our Oil industry” excuse is pure bullshit. Truth is, the Venezuelan people had had enough of the U.S. stealing the resource and CAP’s “nationalization” was a sham to preserve U.S. control . The theft went on until Chavez enforced the implementation of nationalization in reality, consistent with the Venezuelan people’s desires.
100%.
Does Winston realise that kidnapping a foreign ruler is completely illegal under international law?
How could he not?
Do YOU understand that America has an army that could conquer Winston’s in a weekend?😆
LOL, Winnie hiding in the sh*tter
The US already owns NZ in tandem with the UK.
Not to mention all of the assassinations carried out by the Mossad and CIA with the full knowledge of the same by the FBI, which is now in NZ permanently and a violation of a nation’s sovereignty! The NZ Uni-Party is responsible for that….
Israel ignores International Law because the Talmud specifically instructs this; J3w$ do not have to abide by the laws of the Gentiles or Goyim. Hence, we have the continued violations of international law in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and the Ukraine, which is under J3wi$h / Zionist control.
This scenario played-out during the First Gulf War with Iraq moving to seize U.S. oil assets in Kuwait as collateral for non-payment of promised monetary support while Iraq fought Iran circa 1979 to the point of draining all of Iraq’s money.
The oil company involved? One was Tenneco, OWNED BY THE BUSH FAMILY!!!
There were no babies thrown out of incubators in Kuwait, just as there were no babies in ovens in Israeli Kibbutzes, BUT-
There is video proof of Israeli IDF helicopters opening sustained fire on both Hamas AND ISRAELIS during the Rave.
The IDF was stood-down to precipitate Hamas attacking outside of the open-air prison known as Gaza, and used this as an excuse for an ongoing violent land grab…
And the J3w$ in the Trump Administration are cajoling, coaxing and insisting that the illegal international criminal ‘State of Isreal’ be allowed to continue.
After all, Trump Hotels will be springing-up in ‘Greater Israel’ as will a new home for the Trump Family once his term ends, and arrest warrants go out for all of the family members, minus Melania and Barron.
Suzie Wiles keeps Trump distracted and ‘protected’ from radical elements that tell fundamental truths, Jared Kushner is running the White House and it’s J3wi$h staff and Cabinet just as he did in Trump’s last term, and Americans who are concerned about the Zionist take-over of Amerika are deliberately ignored, and / or charged with ‘anti-seminitsm hate crimes’ based on revealing the truth!
https://stewpeters.com/show/occupied/
https://odysee.com/@thecrowhouse:2/The-Most-Evil-State-in-the-History-of-The-World:d
https://odysee.com/@thecrowhouse:2/The-True-Face-of-Israel:9
https://odysee.com/@thecrowhouse:2/Social-Breakdown:4
How to repair the ongoing 150 year problem?
https://www.bitchute.com/video/vfkSxYmcSKj8/
Ever wonder why Trump never rebukes Nutanyahu, ??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIAQkgTJyKA
Zionism is going to ruin your lives or outright kill you & your families in due course. What is happening in Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, the Golan, and the Ukraine will eventually go global as it already has!
https://rumble.com/v1evg1x-the-gray-state-is-coming-by-consent-or-conquest-this-is-battlefield-usa.html?e9s=src_v1_s%2Csrc_v1_s_m&sci=3ef27b96-489f-43f8-878b-915e276d8e69
https://rumble.com/v6uj0oj-the-agenda-their-vision-your-future-2025-full-documentary-4k.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtTKOtJ5ABc
Well said Winnie.
Joyful crowds gathered in Miami, Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Madrid after Maduro capture
Yes, rich people, often exiles, who stand to profit from this, not the average Venezuelan. The fact the puppets been shelved already, tells you everything you need to know. Not so “joyful” after all.
Brilliant!
Yes, well it’s probably safer to celebrate than protest this development in the US.
I didn’t care when they came for Syrians
I didn’t care when they came for the Iranians
I didn’t care when they came for the Venezuelans
You get point, right?
The United States has conducted military, covert, or ‘peacekeeping’ [lol] interventions in at least 70 countries since 1776. Below is a comprehensive list based on historical military actions, occupations, coups, assainations, and ongoing deployments:
Afghanistan (1979–1992, 2001–2021)
Albania (1997, 1999)
Algeria (1942)
Angola (1975–1992)
Argentina (1833, 1852–1853, 1890)
Austria (1945–1955)
Bolivia (1944, 1963, 1971)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (1993–1995)
Brazil (1964)
Cambodia (1969–1970)
Chile (1973)
China (1853, 1856, 1858, 1859, 1866, 1900, 1927, 1945–1949)
Colombia (1856–1895, 1901–1903)
Congo (DRC) (1960–1965)
Cuba (1898–1902, 1906–1909, 1917–1923, 1933, 1934, 1961)
Dominican Republic (1916–1924, 1965)
East Timor (1943)
Egypt (1956)
El Salvador (1961, 1979, 1980)
Ethiopia (1980s, 2006)
Fiji (1838, 1840–1841, 1858)
France (1798–1800, 1944)
Germany (1917, 1944–1949)
Ghana (1966)
Greece (1827, 1947)
Guatemala (1954, 1963, 1982, 1983)
Guyana (1953)
Haiti (1888–1934, 1959, 1994–1996, 2004)
Honduras (1963)
Hungary (1956)
Indonesia (1832, 1838, 1958, 1965–1966)
Iran (1953, 1987)
Iraq (1991, 2003–2011)
Israel (1956)
Italy (1943)
Ivory Coast (1843)
Japan (1853–1854, 1863–1864, 1945–1952)
Jordan (1958, 1970)
Korea (1945–1948, 1950–1953)
Kuwait (1991)
Laos (1964–1973)
Lebanon (1853, 1867, 1958, 1982–1984)
Libya (1801–1805, 1986, 2011)
Mexico (1836, 1842, 1846–1848, 1859, 1913–1916)
Nicaragua (1854–1933)
Panama (1903, 1989)
Paraguay (1859)
Peru (1835–1836)
Philippines (1898–1902, 1945)
Samoa (1841)
Saudi Arabia (1990–1991)
Somalia (1992–1994, 2007–2008, 2010–present)
South Vietnam (1963)
Sudan (1998)
Syria (1956–1957, 2014–present)
Taiwan (1954, 1958)
Thailand (1961–1973)
Turkey (1853, 1956)
Uruguay (1855, 1858)
Vietnam (1961–1973)
Yemen (2002–present)
Yugoslavia (1999)
Zimbabwe (2000s, alleged)
This list includes military invasions, occupations, coups, bombings, assassinations and major interventions, i.e.:
Direct invasions (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan)
Occupations (e.g., Japan, Germany post-WWII)
Covert coups (e.g., Iran 1953, Chile 1973, Venezuela 2026)
Peacekeeping missions (e.g., Bosnia, Somalia)
Drone strikes and airstrikes (e.g., Pakistan, Yemen)
Military advisory roles and training missions…
So, Winnie, now ponder who calls the shots in the US Senate/Congress?
Finance anyone?
So why do you Winnie think NZ is different?
How do you Winnie think to get out of that vampire squid tentacle?
Answer below….[ i bet u read that comment]…b a hero and answer:……
It’s a sh*t show and you are not in it.
Feel warm now?
The USA and NATO have an ongoing history of ignoring international law over the past 20 years (Iraq, Kosovo, Iran) and the trend has been increasingly more blatant tyranny by the USA. Being a lawyer himself, Winston Peters clearly knows his words remain meaningless.
Looks like Winnie is on the wrong side of history again, International law has allowed the West to be swamped with N!&&@$ and Sand N!&&@$, it has allowed our streets to be swamped with drugs, it has allowed rampant international human trafficking,
The only thing that International law has delivered is making our countries less safe and protect the Oligarchies and their Elites.
We hear u.
Please keep up DTNZ’s standards of commentary 👍
Trump labelled Maduro a narco-terrorist opening the door for decisive action. No endless wars just precision strikes on assets, blowing up drug boats, and now capturing the dictator himself. Maduro’s regime – over. This is a high-stakes resource grab tied to silver, China, the CIA, and the future of global control.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsG21rR2XDQ
Well, its pretty glaringly obvious, to all, aside from a few morons, ignoramus, delusional Trumpist Yanks and of course, paid trolls, that the US has blatantly violated international law, in the most outrageous way possible.
International law is made up by the biggest bully on the block, Trump is the new bully, so go cry into your cup and stop embarrassing yourself here. It’s over, you lost, learn how to lose.
Oh zippy, 2 much, u need 2 curb ur sarcasm. Can we have ur wisdom?
Zippy, do u ever read b4 u post? Maybe u need go take advise of ur own BS!
It’s over??
Get real zippo, Trump has sprinted into a quagmire of his own making.
Who is he going to blame when the bodybags start returning home. (Someone else, because he is a psycho) The world will know though. Just like they know he liked to walk into the changing rooms of miss teen USA when they were getting into their bikinis.
Oh Drippo, you said it, little buddy, the US are bullies, that means like the cowards they are, they pick on the vulnerable. Almost 300,000 dead contractors (read mercenaries) in Ukraine, mostly American, by all accounts. Russia is the real man on the block. The pitiful US picking on a peaceful nation in the Caribbean. If you want to whine about how the US is in decline go ahead but don’t expect me to play along.
Does anyone remember the bizarre allegations that Venezuela was involved in rigging voting machines in the 2020 election? I’m not going to defend the indefensible, as what happened yesterday was very wrong on many levels. But if Trump still believes those allegations it could be a motivator for him to bring Maduro to trial in the US. I suspect we only see the tip of the iceberg of what is going on. The easy capture of Maduro does seem a bit ‘theatrical’.
Yes, it could be a very interesting trial.
Is now ‘local law’ attributed to all foreign lands? That smells like tyranny. That smells like USA.
Oh yes, theater, look here not there
Lots of Kangaroos in attendance at the show trial by the criminal old defunct Yank empire.
I doubt anyone in America or Venezuela pays any attention to anything Winston Peters says.
Winston who?
https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/01/04/1972609.html
There’s dozens of election videos where Trump says NO MORE REGIME CHANGE WARS. He made that promise to the American people and to the world many times. There maybe no war right now, but if you think it’s all over now you are mistaken. It’s only just the beginning. He’s a lying sack of shit!! And does anyone actually believe Maduro is going to get a fair trial and fair media coverage, after all the lawfare and fake news Trump himself has been the victim of over the last few years? It will be a kangaroo court with fake charges and fake evidence. It’s that how we want the world to ooerate? Law of the jungle? Trump bypassed congress and he is the dictator. The US Constitution and international law has been shat on yet again. I supported Trump after he said he was going to drain the swamp, end the wars, release the Epstein files, but he’s a f***** sellout neocon loser just like Obama and Biden and the rest of them.
Yep, I agree. However, does anyone think that NZ has any authority to comment on judicial fairness?
It’s a sh*t show and you are not in it.
Feel warm now?
Great comment. Maduro should not be on trial, he’s an innocent man persecuted by a criminal regime.
All these Trump supporters applauding this action and any aggressive action against Iran are no different than woke Antifa leftists – Trumpists and leftists are both useful idiots and tools for the system. Both are dumbarses who cant see the real enemy falling for propaganda again.
Yep, some loathsome comments here, no doubt but some decent people too, like you, who see this for the revolting act of criminality and imperialism, it is.
Cry harder
I would have thought condemnation might have been a better response Mr P