Caracas, Jan. 5 -- Venezuela's Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez on Sunday strongly condemned the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro Moros by the United States, terming it a "kidnapping" and demanding his immediate release along with that of First Lady Cilia Flores, reported Elcooperante.

Addressing a press conference, Padrino Lopez said the detention of Maduro amounted to a serious violation of Venezuela's sovereignty and constitutional order. "Yesterday they kidnapped the person whom the Venezuelan people chose as their president, elected for the 2025-2030 term. Nicolas Maduro is the authentic and genuine constitutional leader of all Venezuelans," he said.

The Defence Minister described the arrest as an act of injustice, not onl...