UN Security Council to Meet After U.S. Action in Venezuela

The United Nations Security Council will meet on Monday following the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and the removal of President Nicolás Maduro, a move that UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned could set “a dangerous precedent.”

According to diplomats, Colombia, backed by Russia and China, requested the meeting of the 15-member council. The Security Council has already convened twice, in October and December, as tensions between the United States and Venezuela increased.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Washington would oversee Venezuela “until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” though he did not outline how such oversight would work.

Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada accused the United States of launching “a colonial war” aimed at dismantling the country’s republican system and imposing a “puppet government” to exploit its natural resources, including its vast oil reserves. In a letter to the council, Moncada argued that the U.S. operation violated the UN Charter, which requires member states to refrain from the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any nation.

Guterres’ spokesperson said the U.S. action sets “a dangerous precedent,” stressing the importance of full respect for international law and the UN Charter. He added that the Secretary-General is “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.”

For months, the United States has targeted vessels it alleges were involved in drug trafficking off Venezuela and along the Pacific coast of Latin America. Washington also increased its military presence in the region and announced a blockade on vessels subject to U.S. sanctions, including the interception of two crude oil tankers last month.

In October, U.S. officials defended their actions as consistent with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which permits self-defense and requires prompt notification to the Security Council. On Saturday, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz wrote on X that the operation was “not regime change,” but “justice,” describing Maduro as an indicted and illegitimate leader heading a narco-terrorist organization responsible for American deaths.