The Ghanaian foreign ministry has asked the Donald Trump administration to release Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, captured by U.S. Special Forces in the early hours of Saturday.

Mr Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in a mission codenamed “Operation Armour Shield.”

The foreign ministry likened Mr Trump’s intention to “run” Venezuela and commandeer its oil as reminiscent of an “imperialist.”

“Ghana calls for immediate de-escalation and the release of President Maduro and his wife,” said a statement shared by Ghana’s foreign minister, Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa.

Ghana framed Mr Maduro’s arrest as an “invasion” and “abduction,” chastising Mr Trump’s words to “run” the Latin nation as the language of an imperialist.

“These declarations are reminiscent of the colonial and imperialist era,” the foreign ministry said on Sunday. “Such colonial ambitions should have no place in the post-Second World War era.

Like Russia, Ghana said only Venezuelans have the right to determine their leadership.

“Ghana, therefore, reaffirms its commitment to the principle of self-determination and holds the firm view that only the Venezuelan people should freely determine their political and democratic future,” the statement said.

In September 2025, Ghana secured a deal with the U.S. to accommodate African prisoners deported from the U.S. in exchange for a five-year multiple-entry visa.

Ghana’s remarks contrast sharply with those of France and the UK, whose leaders rejoiced at Maduro’s capture, describing it as long overdue.