Facing criticism at the Security Council, the US defended the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as a “law enforcement operation” and not a war. At an emergency meeting, US allies France and Britain criticized Washington mildly from an international law perspective. China and Russia, however, demanded Maduro’s immediate release, lashing out at the US.
US Permanent Representative Mike Walz emphasized that there is no war against Venezuela or its people, quoting Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He clarified that the US was not occupying a country, aiming to dispel concerns about violating the UN Charter and international law by asserting it was a law enforcement operation.
The US defended its actions by stating that they arrested a narcotrafficker who will face trial in the US for crimes committed against the American people. The Security Council meeting coincided with Maduro’s appearance in a US court to face narco-terrorism charges after being seized from a military base in Venezuela.
Venezuela’s Permanent Representative accused the US of “kidnapping a head of state” and launching an “illegitimate armed attack” to access the country’s natural resources. France, Britain, and other countries criticized Maduro for election fraud and human rights violations while also questioning the US intervention.
