"La France Insoumise leader Jean-Luc Melenchon on Tuesday slammed the US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, denouncing it as a 'kidnapping'. "The world says Maduro has been kidnapped; everyone else says he's been captured - captured as one would say of an animal, and as if it were normal," he said during a speech in Paris. "No, it's the President of the Republic of Venezuela, and he’s been kidnapped," he continued. Broadening his critique, the French politician linked the event to actions in Gaza, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of leading 'the extermination of every last Palestinian'. "I hear we're going to the polls in Venezuela [...] Nobody asked the Palestinians in Gaza to vote on whether they wanted a homeland or a marina," he added. The US launched a military operation in Venezuela on January 3, targeting military bases and communications hubs before capturing Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores during a raid on a safe house in Caracas. US President Donald Trump vowed that he would 'run' the country - and suggested Vice President Delcy Rodriguez could face a fate 'far worse' than Maduro if she didn't go along with it. Melenchon also attacked what he called Western fear-mongering on the Ukraine conflict as talks between Kiev, the 'Coalition of the Willing' and the US continue on its second day. "We're threatened with invasion by Russia, but who’s threatening you now? NATO stooges," he said, referring to leaders "who'd spent their whole lives cuddled up on Uncle Sam's lap." The precise nature of any US contribution to 'security guarantees' for Kiev remained unclear, amid talk of a 'backstop' the day before. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said that they were 'largely finished' discussing security protocols and that Donald Trump 'strongly stands behind' them. Tuesday's talks with Europeans and others in the 'Coalition of the Willing' ended with a 'declaration of intent' from the UK and France - as the only two nations willing to commit to ground troops post-ceasefire. Emmanuel Macron said French and UK forces would be 'a long way behind the contact line' and were there to provide 'reassurance'."