Catherine Connolly condemns "appalling" violence in Venezuela

President Catherine Connolly has described the recent loss of life in Venezuela as "appalling" and "often overlooked".

During a her speech at yesterday's Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, she addressed the crisis in Venezuela, where, on January 3, US president Donald Trump has issued a series of strikes on the South American nation's capital Caracas. That same day, the US military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

At least 100 people have been killed in the strikes as of Thursday morning.

“I stand here with hope for the future, notwithstanding the tremendous challenges that we face,” Connolly said. "And I get that hope from you as young people, from your creativity and from your honesty and from your dedication to your subjects."

"My hope is also in the future, which, as the United Nations General Secretary has said, there must be a full respect for international law, including the United Nations Charter and the rule of law. The recent loss of lives in Venezuela is appalling and is often overlooked in the debate.”

Taosieach Micheál Martin also addressed the violence while speaking in Beijing earlier this week.

"He did a lot of damage and was quite tyrannical in his approach and repressive as a leader,” said Martin on Maduro.

“That said, we do believe that the future of Venezuela is one that must be decided by the people of Venezuela, and everybody should work to create the right conditions to enable free and fair elections to take place in Venezuela.

"We have to ensure that the people get to decide their future in Venezuela and that there’s strong adherence to the international rules-based order.”

Neither the President nor the Taoiseach have so far condemned the US government's role in the unrest in Venezuela.