German Foreign Minister Waldorf stated on January 5 that the United States must provide a legal basis for its military actions, and he called on the U.S. to increase transparency regarding the situation in Venezuela. Waldorf said he hoped the United States would “not only respect international law, but also explain to us and everyone else the basis for doing so.” In the early hours of January 3, the United States launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela, raiding the capital Caracas, deploying troops to forcibly take control of President Maduro and his wife, and transporting them out of the country. Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Russia, and several other countries have strongly condemned the action.