Dangerous precedent is set, says the UN; Security Council will meet until tomorrow
Reuters, Sputnik and Prensa Latina
La Jornada Newspaper
Sunday, January 4, 2026, p. 7
New York. The Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, yesterday expressed his concern about the non-compliance with international law in the operation carried out by United States troops that led to the kidnapping of the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro.
Guterres “continues to insist on the importance of full respect, by all, of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. He is deeply concerned that the rules have not been respected,” said his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement.
The US operation sets a dangerous precedent, said Guterres, who also called on all actors in the Bolivarian Republic to participate in an inclusive dialogue, with full respect for human rights and the rule of law.
For his part, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (Acnudh), Volker Türk, urged everyone to act with moderation regarding Caracas and guarantee the protection of the population.
“Volker Türk is concerned about the United States’ intervention in Venezuela. We call on everyone to act with restraint and fully respect the UN Charter and international human rights law. The protection of the Venezuelan population is of utmost importance and must guide any future action,” the OHCHR office published on its X account.
In turn, the United Nations Security Council, which met twice in October and December due to the escalation of tensions between Washington and Caracas, is scheduled to meet until tomorrow. Colombia, backed by Russia and China, requested the meeting of the 15-member council.
In a letter sent to Abukar Dahir Osman, permanent representative of Somalia to the UN and president of the Security Council, Venezuela’s ambassador to the organization, Samuel Moncada, noted that “US special troops are carrying out attacks in various parts of the national territory with helicopters and planes.”
He stated that “this is a colonial war aimed at destroying our republican form of government, freely elected by our people, and imposing a puppet government that allows the plundering of our natural resources, including the largest oil reserves in the world.”
