Tennis legend Martina Navratilova publicly criticized the United States and called for action by the International Criminal Court following President Donald Trump’s arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, a move that has intensified international debate over U.S. involvement in Venezuela and the country’s vast oil resources.

Navratilova, a longtime political activist, reacted on Saturday to developments following Maduro’s arrest by U.S. forces acting on warrants issued during the Biden-Harris administration.

Maduro, who led Venezuela for years under a Marxist system, was taken into custody as part of a U.S. military operation ordered by President Trump.

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The former tennis champion first expressed approval of a message posted on X that called for sanctions against American companies involved in Venezuelan oil production. Navratilova responded to the post with a brief endorsement, writing, “love it.”

She later expanded on her criticism, accusing the United States of exploiting Venezuela’s natural resources following Maduro’s arrest.

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“Holding a country hostage while pillaging its natural resources. Next stop- either Greenland or Nigeria,” Navratilova wrote in a subsequent post.

Her comments came as the Trump administration outlined its rationale for the operation and its plans regarding Venezuela’s oil industry.

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President Trump said the arrest of Maduro was carried out pursuant to existing U.S. legal actions and framed the seizure of Venezuelan oil as compensation for what he described as years of unlawful asset confiscation by the Maduro government.

Trump said Venezuela had seized and sold American-owned oil assets after Maduro came to power, resulting in significant financial losses for U.S. companies.

“Venezuela unilaterally seized and sold American oil, American assets and American platforms, costing us billions and billions of dollars,” Trump said following Maduro’s arrest, according to Fox News.

“They took all of our property.”

Trump said the U.S. response was rooted in those actions and the broader dismantling of American investments in the country’s energy sector.

“We built Venezuela’s oil industry with American talent, drive, and skill, and the socialist regime stole it from us,” Trump added.

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The president also said his administration plans to reintroduce American energy companies into Venezuela to rehabilitate the nation’s deteriorated oil infrastructure.

Venezuela holds the largest proven oil reserves in the world, but years of sanctions, underinvestment, and mismanagement have left much of the industry in disrepair.

Trump said U.S. oil companies would play a central role in restoring production and bringing facilities back to operational capacity.

“We are going to have our very large United States oil companies go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country,” Trump said.

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Navratilova’s remarks placed her among a group of international critics who have condemned the U.S. operation and its aftermath, while supporters of the administration argue the move was long overdue and necessary to address both criminal allegations against Maduro and Venezuela’s collapse under his leadership.

Maduro had been indicted during the Biden administration on charges related to drug trafficking and corruption.

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U.S. officials have repeatedly described him as a central figure in transnational criminal networks tied to narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

Trump has characterized Maduro as a Marxist dictator responsible for the economic and humanitarian crisis that forced millions of Venezuelans to flee the country.

The administration’s decision to allow U.S. companies to reclaim oil assets has added another layer of controversy, particularly as global energy markets remain volatile and geopolitical tensions remain high.

Navratilova did not elaborate further on her call for ICC involvement, nor did she specify what actions she believes international bodies should take against the United States.

Her comments nonetheless drew attention due to her global profile and her framing of the operation as resource exploitation rather than law enforcement.

As the situation continues to unfold, the Trump administration has maintained that its actions were lawful, targeted, and justified by years of asset seizures and criminal activity by the Maduro government.

The debate over Venezuela’s future, its oil industry, and the role of the United States is expected to continue both domestically and internationally in the coming weeks.