US strike in Venezuela

Crisis team in Vienna – concern for 750 Austrians

The situation in Venezuela is unclear following the US attacks - which is currently also affecting hundreds of Austrians.(Bild: EPA/MIGUEL GUTIERREZ)

Following the massive US airstrikes on Venezuela, the focus in Austria is also on the local population: according to information from "Krone", around 750 Austrians are currently in the South American country.

While international reactions to the escalation are increasing, the situation for Austrian citizens in Venezuela remains unclear. Whether and to what extent they are affected by the attacks remains unclear. Of the 750 Austrians in the country, five are currently registered as tourists.

Travel warning
In view of the escalation, the Foreign Ministry in Vienna has set up a crisis team focusing on the safety of Austrian citizens. As the ministry announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, a travel warning is now in place for the whole of Venezuela.

"So far we have only had inquiries from relatives in Austria who are worried," Gerold Vollmer, Austria's ambassador to Colombia, told the "Krone" newspaper. Venezuela is looked after by the embassy in Colombia. 

Austrians should report urgently
Austrians in the country have therefore been urged to register via http://reiseregistrierung.at so that they can be contacted quickly in an emergency. It is not yet clear whether Austrian citizens have been affected by the night-time attacks.

Exact number of victims not yet known
US forces attacked several regions of Venezuela from the air on Saturday night. The attacks focused on the capital Caracas. According to the Venezuelan government, soldiers and civilians were killed. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez did not give an exact number of victims. "We condemn this attack on our people, which has cost the lives of civil servants, soldiers, innocent people and civilians," she said on state television.

The La Carlota area, where an important Venezuelan air force base is located, is said to have been particularly affected. Videos showed helicopters flying over the city at night, and there were also attacks in three other regions of the country.

Venezuela: US goal only "partially achieved"
According to reports in the New York Times, there were no casualties among the US soldiers, neither during the airstrikes nor during Maduro's arrest. Republican US Senator Mike Lee stated that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had confirmed to him that the military operation had ended. Rubio therefore does not expect any further military action in Venezuela.

Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello explained on state television that the USA had only "partially achieved" its goal. The country was "completely calm" and the population had not fled as expected. The Venezuelan government accuses the USA of having attacked civilian and military targets and called on the population to mobilize.

Demand to uphold international law
Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) warned against further escalation in view of the US attacks on Venezuela. "It is now crucial to prevent further escalation and uphold international law," Meinl-Reisinger wrote on Platform X on Saturday. "We therefore call on all parties involved to exercise restraint in order to avoid further suffering." EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas also called for respect for international law to be upheld, but without explicitly naming the USA.

The reaction of the Greens was much harsher. Party leader Leonore Gewessler condemned the US attack on Venezuela as a "clear breach of international law". "This attack must not remain without consequences," she wrote on social media.

Maduro accused of crimes involving drug trafficking
Meanwhile, Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted in New York, according to US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Maduro is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking, among other things, Bondi announced on the X platform.