The United Nations has expressed serious concern over the recent United States military operation in Venezuela, warning that the action undermines a fundamental principle of international law related to state sovereignty. UN officials stressed that countries must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state, describing the operation as a clear violation of established international norms.
The comments followed reports that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were forcibly taken by US commandos during a large-scale operation involving airstrikes on Caracas, supported by warplanes and a significant naval presence. The scale of the intervention raised alarm within the international community, prompting fears of increased instability and further militarisation inside Venezuela.
The UN rights office rejected US justifications that cited Venezuela’s long-standing human rights record as grounds for the operation. Officials emphasized that accountability for human rights violations cannot be achieved through unilateral military action that breaches international law. They reiterated that the UN has consistently documented the worsening human rights and humanitarian situation in Venezuela over the past decade through established monitoring mechanisms.
According to the UN, the latest developments risk deepening the country’s crisis by fueling insecurity and prolonging political instability. Human rights officials warned that military intervention could further harm civilians and complicate efforts to address violations through lawful and multilateral means, urging respect for international law and peaceful approaches to resolving the situation.
