Venezuela’s foreign minister on Monday condemned remarks by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the situation in Venezuela, accusing him of echoing rhetoric once used by Nazi Germany.
Mitsotakis had described Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as a leader who “presided over a brutal and repressive dictatorship that brought unimaginable suffering on the Venezuelan people.” He also said the recent U.S. military operation to detain Maduro was controversial but added that the end of the Venezuelan leader’s rule “offers new hope for the country.”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto said the comments showed the Greek leader had failed to learn from Europe’s past.
“The Nazis used the same arguments that are now being used against Venezuela — that rejecting a government and its ideology justifies murders, invasions and flagrant violations of international law,” Gil said.
He added that such reasoning violated the United Nations Charter and international human rights norms and “revives the darkest logic that Europe swore never to repeat.”
Gil urged Mitsotakis to refrain from commenting on Venezuela and instead “deepen his study of international law and the historical lessons that shaped today’s international legal order.”
Maduro has faced international criticism over human rights and economic collapse during his rule. The U.S. has long accused him of authoritarianism, allegations he denies.