The United Nations (UN) has strongly condemned a bold United States (US) military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, saying the action undermines fundamental principles of international law and state sovereignty.
Recall that on Saturday, January 3, 2026, U.S. forces launched a coordinated assault involving airstrikes and a significant naval deployment, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in Caracas. Both were taken to the United States, where they appeared in federal court and pleaded not guilty to charges including narco-terrorism and drug trafficking.
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The UN Human Rights Office expressed deep concern, warning that the use of force in this manner “undermined a fundamental principle of international law” by violating the territorial integrity and political independence of another state, and cautioned that the operation could further destabilize Venezuela.
U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz defended the mission as a “surgical law enforcement operation,” but numerous countries – including Russia, China, France, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia – denounced the intervention as a breach of sovereignty and international norms.
Maduro’s dramatic capture has sparked widespread protests across the region, with critics questioning the legitimacy of the operation. While Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for the “historic” action against Maduro’s regime and called for the release of political prisoners, many nations remain deeply critical of the U.S. approach.
