Jan 3 (Reuters) - Following are reactions to Saturday’s U.S. strikes on Venezuela.

“This morning, the United States committed an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. This is deeply concerning and condemnable.”

“The pretexts used to justify such actions are unfounded. Ideological animosity has prevailed over business pragmatism and the willingness to build relationships based on trust and predictability.”

“In the current situation, it is important, first and foremost, to prevent further escalation and to focus on finding a way out of the situation through dialogue.”

“Latin America must remain a zone of peace, as it declared itself to be in 2014. And Venezuela must be guaranteed the right to determine its own destiny without any destructive, let alone military, interference from outside.”