Italy's Meloni calls US attack on Venezuela "defensive"

The Italian government considers the U.S. attack on Venezuela as “defensive action against hybrid security attacks” and regards such actions as “legitimate,” said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

She made the remark in a message, published on the Italian government’s official website, per Caliber.Az.

“In line with Italy’s long-standing position, the Government does not consider external military action to be the way forward to bring an end to totalitarian regimes. At the same time, however, it considers defensive action to be legitimate against hybrid security attacks, as in the case of state entities that fuel and facilitate drug trafficking,” Meloni emphasised.

The Prime Minister also stressed that Italy “has always supported the Venezuelan people’s aspiration for a democratic transition” and condemned the repression by the Maduro regime, “whose self-proclaimed election victory has never been recognised by Italy or its main international partners.”

The government also called for the “swift release” of all Western citizens currently held in Venezuelan prisons, with full respect for fundamental human rights.

By Khagan Isayev