Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia voiced strong support for the United States and President Donald Trump on Friday following Washington’s actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom U.S. officials have accused of leading a narco-criminal network.
Albania’s foreign minister, Elisa Spiropali, said Tirana stood “unequivocally” with the United States and Trump, praising Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s role in confronting what she described as Venezuela’s “narco-terrorist regime.”
“The Venezuelan people have an undeniable right to freedom, democracy and the rule of law, and the international community must not remain silent in the face of repression and fear,” Spiropali said in a post on X, adding that Albania, a NATO member, stood “shoulder to shoulder” with U.S. leadership on global security.
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani also expressed support for U.S. actions, calling them a stand against “narco-terrorism and authoritarian rule.” In a post on X, Osmani said Kosovo stood firmly with the United States and Trump, praising what she described as American efforts to protect global security from organised crime and drug cartels.
“The Venezuelan people deserve freedom, democracy and a future governed by law, not fear,” Osmani said.
Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after years of conflict and international intervention, said it understood the impact of U.S. resolve in confronting regimes seen as authoritarian. Osmani urged the transatlantic community to unite behind U.S. leadership and shared democratic values.
North Macedonia’s Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski echoed the statements, welcoming Trump’s announcement that Maduro had been arrested and would face justice. He also praised Rubio for confronting what he called the Maduro government’s narco-criminal networks.
“Accountability matters,” Mucunski said, adding that Skopje stood with the United States and the Venezuelan people “for freedom and democracy.”
The comments came amid reports that Trump ordered strikes against Venezuelan targets and that Maduro and his wife were captured following months of escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas over alleged drug trafficking and regional security concerns. U.S. officials have not independently confirmed Maduro’s capture.
Washington has long accused Maduro’s government of involvement in cocaine trafficking and undermining democracy, allegations Caracas has repeatedly denied, describing them as part of a U.S.-led campaign to destabilise Venezuela. The country has been mired in a prolonged political and economic crisis, marked by sanctions, disputed elections and a mass exodus of migrants.