The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to meet on Monday following a U.S. military action in Venezuela that led to the removal of long-serving President Nicolas Maduro, a move the UN Secretary-General has described as setting a “dangerous precedent.”
The meeting of the 15-member Security Council was requested by Colombia, with the support of Russia and China, according to diplomats. The council had previously convened twice—in October and December—amid rising tensions between the United States and Venezuela.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington would administer Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” though details on how the U.S. plans to oversee the country remain unclear.
Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada strongly condemned the action, calling it a “colonial war” aimed at dismantling the country’s republican system and installing a puppet government to exploit its natural resources, including the world’s largest oil reserves. In a letter to the Security Council, Moncada said the U.S. had violated the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through his spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, expressed deep concern over the U.S. action, stating that it constitutes a “dangerous precedent.” He emphasized the need for full respect for international law and the UN Charter by all parties.
The Trump administration has intensified its actions against Venezuela in recent months, targeting suspected drug trafficking operations off the Venezuelan coast and increasing military presence in the region. Last month, the U.S. announced a blockade of vessels subject to U.S. sanctions and intercepted two tankers carrying Venezuelan crude.
In October, the U.S. argued that its actions were justified under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows self-defense measures but requires immediate notification to the Security Council.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz defended the move, posting on X that the action was not about regime change but justice, describing Maduro as an “indicted, illegitimate dictator” who led a narco-terrorism organization responsible for the deaths of American citizens.
Source: Reuters
