New Delhi, Jan 06: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the recent escalation in Venezuela risks destabilising the wider region and undermining the foundations of international law, calling on all parties to respect the UN Charter and pursue a peaceful, democratic path forward.
Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council through Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, Guterres said the Council was meeting at a “grave time” following the United States’ military action in Venezuela on January 3.
He noted that US forces were active across Caracas and the northern states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, though the scale of casualties remains unclear.
President Donald Trump had announced what he described as a “large-scale strike” against Venezuela and its leader Nicolás Maduro, later stating that Washington would “run the country” until a transition could be arranged.
Venezuela’s government has denounced the operation as military aggression in both civilian and military areas and a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, Guterres said. He added that President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently being held in New York on serious criminal charges brought by US authorities.
“What is less certain is the immediate future of Venezuela,” the Secretary-General warned, expressing deep concern over the risk of intensified instability inside the country, its potential regional impact, and the precedent such actions could set for relations between states.
The crisis, he said, comes against the backdrop of long-standing international concern over Venezuela, which deepened after the disputed presidential election of July 2024. An expert panel appointed by the UN at the request of the Venezuelan government had identified serious electoral shortcomings, while the UN human rights office has documented grave violations.
Guterres also noted that interim President Delcy Rodríguez had declared a nationwide emergency on January 3, expanding security powers amid rising tensions that the Council has discussed repeatedly since August.
Reiterating his concern that international law had not been respected in the recent military action, the UN chief stressed that the Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. “The maintenance of international peace and security depends on the continued commitment of all Member States to adhere to the Charter,” he said.
Venezuela, he added, has endured decades of political, social and economic turmoil, with democracy weakened and millions forced to flee. While the situation is critical, he said, it remains possible to avert a wider and more destructive conflict.
Guterres urged Venezuelan actors to engage in inclusive, democratic dialogue grounded in respect for human rights, the rule of law and the sovereign will of the people. He also called on neighbouring countries and the broader international community to act in solidarity and in line with international principles.
“International law provides tools to address issues such as illicit drug trafficking, disputes over resources and human rights concerns,” he said. “This is the route we need to take. The power of the law must prevail.”