UN Security Council on the escalation of the crisis in Venezuela, Guterres concerned

(Patria) - The United Nations Security Council is holding an emergency meeting due to the escalation of the crisis in Venezuela, triggered by the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife by the United States and a series of major attacks in Caracas. The meeting was requested by Venezuela itself, and the request was supported by two permanent members of the Council - Russia and China.

In a letter sent to the Council on January 3, which formally requested today's meeting, Venezuela accused the United States of carrying out a series of "brutal, unjustified and unilateral armed attacks" on civilian and military targets within the country. Caracas also accused Washington of violating the United Nations Charter.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the non-compliance with international law in Venezuela, warning of a possible escalation of instability in the country and the region. His message was read at the emergency session of the UN Security Council.

"I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent this could set for how relations between states are conducted," Guterres said in a statement read by diplomat Rosemary DiCarlo.

"I have consistently emphasized the imperative of full respect for international law by all, including the Charter of the United Nations, which provides the foundation for maintaining international peace and security. I remain deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected," Guterres concluded.

China's representative to the UN, Fu Cong, accused the United States of gross violation of international law.

"As a permanent member of the Council, the US has ignored the serious concerns of the international community, recklessly trampled on Venezuela's sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights and interests, and seriously violated the principles of sovereign equality," Fu stated.

He emphasized that no country can impose itself as a global authority. "No country can act as the world's police, nor can any country assume to be an international judge." China also issued a clear call to the US to immediately release Maduro and his wife.

Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said that the American intervention shocked all who had hoped for a new approach from the Trump administration, focused on "diplomacy and seeking compromise." Instead, Nebenzya believes, we are witnessing a dangerous precedent. "The attack on Venezuela's leader has become a harbinger of a return to an era of lawlessness and US dominance by force, chaos, and lawlessness," he said.

US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, firmly rejected the accusations, insisting that "there is no war in Venezuela." He explained that it is not a military occupation, but a targeted action. "We are not occupying the country. This was a law enforcement operation for legitimate indictments that have existed for decades," Waltz said. He drew a parallel with the US arrest of former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega in 1989 as a precedent for this type of action.

Waltz announced that "irrefutable evidence" of Maduro's crimes, which include charges of narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and arms dealing, will be "publicly presented in US court proceedings".