The Coalition welcomes the announcement that Nicolás Maduro has been taken into custody to face legal proceedings in the United States of America.
As other world leaders such as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of France have said, Nicolás Maduro was an illegitimate President. Under his rule, Venezuela has endured years of repression, systemic human rights abuses, corruption, and the crushing of basic democratic freedoms - driving immense suffering and forcing millions to flee.
As the former Coalition Government stated when in office, Australia called for a transition to democracy in Venezuela as soon as possible, grounded in the rule of law and respect for human rights, and supported a pathway to elections.
The Venezuelan people deserve the chance to restore their sovereignty through a peaceful return to democracy - through genuinely free and fair elections, conducted without intimidation or violence, and with credible international scrutiny.
We should live in a world where dictators and despots face justice for their crimes.