UN envoys condemn US strike in Venezuela, question legality of Maduro’s capture
Several ambassadors to the United Nations have criticised the United States over its military operation in Venezuela, describing the action as illegal and a violation of international law during an emergency UN Security Council meeting in New York on Monday.
Venezuela’s UN representative, Samuel Moncada, labelled Saturday’s operation an “illegitimate armed attack lacking any legal justification,” condemning the capture of President Nicolás Maduro as a serious breach of sovereignty.
Moncada accused Washington of acting out of economic and geopolitical interests, arguing that Venezuela’s vast oil and energy resources have long made the country a target of foreign pressure. “Our country’s oil, energy, strategic resources and geopolitical position have historically been factors of greed and external pressure,” he said.
Ambassadors from Colombia, France, Denmark, Russia and Iran were among those who also criticised the US action, which involved strikes on Venezuelan military installations and the arrest of Maduro and his wife.
Colombia’s ambassador, Leonor Zalabata, said the operation amounted to “clear violations of the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Venezuela,” describing it as a breach of international law. France’s envoy said the action ran counter to the principle of resolving disputes peacefully, while Russia’s ambassador condemned it as a “criminal operation.”
In a statement delivered on his behalf, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern that the US military action did not comply with international law. He said he was “deeply concerned” about the potential impact on regional stability and the precedent such an operation could set.
Defending the US position, Ambassador Mike Waltz told the council that Washington would “not waver” in its efforts to protect Americans from what he described as narco-terrorism. He insisted the United States was not occupying Venezuela and characterised the operation as a law enforcement action tied to long-standing indictments.
The emergency meeting followed confirmation by US President Donald Trump that American forces had struck targets in Venezuela and captured Maduro, a move that has intensified diplomatic tensions and sparked global debate over the legality of the intervention.
