UN Chief Warns of Venezuela Instability After US Operation
Security Council Meets Amid Rising Tensions
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday expressed serious concern over growing instability in Venezuela following the US capture of President Nicolas Maduro. At the same time, the United States told the UN Security Council that it has no intention of occupying the Latin American country.
The 15-member council convened at UN headquarters in New York just hours before Maduro was scheduled to appear in a Manhattan federal court. US prosecutors have charged him with drug-related crimes, including narco-terrorism conspiracy. Maduro has denied all accusations.
“I am deeply concerned about the possible escalation of instability in Venezuela, its impact on the region, and the precedent this may set for relations between states,” Guterres said. UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo delivered his remarks to the council.
US Rejects Occupation Claims
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told council members that Washington carried out a limited and targeted operation. He described it as “a surgical law enforcement operation facilitated by the US military” that led to the capture of two indicted fugitives, Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Waltz stressed that the United States was not at war with Venezuela. “There is no war against Venezuela or its people, and we are not occupying the country,” he said, echoing comments made earlier by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
He added that Washington would not allow hostile actors to use the Western Hemisphere as a base of operations. Waltz also argued that Venezuela’s vast energy resources should not remain under the control of leaders the US considers illegitimate and hostile to American interests.
Venezuela Condemns US Action
Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada strongly rejected the US position. He described the operation as an “illegitimate armed attack” with no legal basis. Moncada said Venezuela’s institutions remained fully functional, constitutional order was intact, and the state continued to exercise control over its territory.
In response, Guterres urged all Venezuelan stakeholders to engage in inclusive and democratic dialogue. He said the United Nations stood ready to support efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the crisis.
Legal Debate at the United Nations
Guterres also raised concerns about the legality of the US operation, noting that the UN Charter requires member states to refrain from using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state.
The United States defended its actions by citing Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows individual or collective self-defense in response to an armed attack.
Russia, China, and Colombia condemned the US operation as illegal. Most other Security Council members avoided direct criticism of Washington, instead emphasising the importance of respecting international law and the UN Charter.
Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia criticised what he described as selective silence from some countries. He accused them of hypocrisy for failing to uphold the same legal standards they often demand from others.
Colombia, which requested the council meeting, said the US action violated Venezuela’s sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity. Russia, China, and Venezuela also called on the United States to release Maduro and his wife.
Limited Prospects for Council Action
Despite strong criticism, any Security Council action remains unlikely. The United States holds veto power alongside Russia, China, Britain, and France, limiting the chances of a binding resolution.
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