The operation, confirmed early Saturday by US President Donald Trump on social media, followed months of mounting tensions between Washington and Caracas. The US Attorney General announced that President Maduro and his wife would be transferred to the US to face prosecution linked to a 2020 narcoterrorism indictment issued in New York during the first Trump administration.
The military action reportedly began with overnight strikes in and around the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. Venezuelan authorities have declared a state of national emergency, with casualty figures and the full extent of damage still unclear. In a statement issued by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the Secretary-General warned that the latest developments represent a dangerous precedent.
“The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with today’s United States military action in the country, which has potentially worrying implications for the region,” the statement noted, stressing the need for full respect of international law and the UN Charter.
Guterres urged all parties to pursue inclusive dialogue grounded in human rights and international legal frameworks, warning that the rules-based international order must be upheld.
The Venezuelan Government condemned the US action as an “extremely serious military aggression”, pointing to months of increased pressure, including a major US military build-up off Venezuela’s coast, strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels and the recent seizure of sanctioned oil tankers.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk echoed calls for restraint, emphasising that the protection of Venezuelan civilians must guide all actions. Venezuela has formally requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, scheduled for Monday at UN headquarters in New York.
Meanwhile, President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock warned against the erosion of international law, underscoring that Article 2 of the UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against another state’s sovereignty.
“A peaceful, safe and just world is only possible if the rule of law prevails instead of might making right,” she said.
The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela has also raised concern that long-standing human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detention, must not be overshadowed by the unfolding crisis.
The Mission stressed that alleged abuses do not justify military intervention, while accountability for crimes against humanity remains essential amid growing regional uncertainty.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
