This follows the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela and the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement delivered on his behalf by Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN chief said the Council was meeting “at a grave time” after the January 3 United States (US) operation in Venezuela.
The broad outlines of the military action, which reportedly unfolded across Caracas and the northern states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, have been widely reported, although the scale of casualties and damage remains unclear.
US President Donald Trump announced a “large-scale strike” and the capture of his Venezuelan counterpart on Saturday, later stating that Washington would now “run the country” until a transition of power could be secured.
Venezuela has condemned the operation as blatant military aggression and a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, warning that it poses a serious threat to international and regional peace and security.
Maduro is being held in New York and was due to appear in court on Monday, just kilometres from UN Headquarters in Manhattan, where US authorities accuse him and his wife, Cilia Flores, of serious drugs and weapons offences.
Addressing Council members, the Secretary-General warned that while details of the operation are still emerging, the immediate future of Venezuela remains deeply uncertain.
“What is less certain is the immediate future of Venezuela,” he said, cautioning against the risk of deepening instability, regional spillover effects and the creation of a dangerous precedent for relations between States.
He stressed that the rules governing the use of force “have not been respected”, recalling that the UN Charter explicitly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any country.
“The maintenance of international peace and security depends on the continued commitment of all Member States to adhere to all the provisions of the Charter,” he said.
Guterres noted that Venezuela has endured decades of political instability, economic hardship and social upheaval, with democratic institutions weakened and millions of citizens forced to flee.
Despite the gravity of the situation, he said it was still possible to prevent a wider and more destructive crisis, urging all Venezuelan actors to engage in inclusive, democratic dialogue grounded in human rights, the rule of law and the sovereign will of the people.
“In situations as confused and complex as the one we now face, it is important to stick to principles,” he said, emphasising sovereignty, political independence, territorial integrity and the prohibition of the use of force.
“The power of the law must prevail,” he added, arguing that international law provides the tools to address issues ranging from human rights violations to illicit trafficking and resource disputes, without resorting to military intervention.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
