Countries unite against U.S. kidnapping of Maduro at UN Security Council meeting

Jan 06, 2026 News

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(Kaieteur News) – The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Monday amid sharp divisions over the United States’ forcible rendition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an action that has triggered outrage, warnings of regional destabilisation, and rare open praise from some Western allies.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the Council that the operation risked undermining the very foundations of the international system, stressing the need to respect national sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity. He warned that the US action had set a “dangerous precedent” for global order. “I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted.”

The UN secretary general said the situation in Venezuela has been a matter of regional and international concern for many years now. He said attention on the country only grew following the contested presidential elections in July 2024. “The panel of electoral experts I appointed at the Venezuelan Government’s request to accompany the elections highlighted serious issues. We have consistently called for full transparency and the complete publication of the results of the elections.”

Guterres said Venezuela has experienced decades of internal instability and social and economic turmoil, noting that democracy has been undermined and millions of its people have fled the country. “The situation is critical, but it is still possible to prevent a wider and more destructive conflagration. I call on all Venezuelan actors to engage in an inclusive, democratic dialogue in which all sectors of society can determine their future. This entails the full respect of human rights, the rule of law and the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people.” He said” I also urge Venezuela’s neighbours, and the international community more broadly, to act in a spirit of solidarity and in adherence to the principles, laws and rules erected to promote peaceful coexistence. I welcome and am ready to support all efforts aimed at assisting Venezuelans in finding a peaceful way forward.”

Sovereignty at stake

Venezuela’s Ambassador to the UN Samuel Moncada said that not only his country’s sovereignty is at stake, but also “the credibility of international law” and the authority of the United Nations. He said Venezuela was subjected to an “illegitimate armed attack” by the United States on 3 January, lacking any legal justification and constituting a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, Geneva Conventions and the principle of sovereign equality. Warning that tolerating the “kidnapping of a Head of State” and attacks on civilians would signal that “the law is optional”, he argued that the aggression is driven by Venezuela’s natural resources and geopolitical position.

For his part, James Kariuki of the United Kingdom said that Maduro’s actions created extreme levels of poverty, violent repression and failing basic services and precipitated a displacement crisis affecting the whole region. “Maduro’s claim to power was fraudulent,” he said, noting his country’s desire to see a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate Government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people. He also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter.  “These foundations are essential for maintaining global peace, security and the rule of law,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán warned the Council that Washington, D.C.’s, “hegemonic and criminal plans” towards Venezuela have produced serious and unpredictable consequences for regional stability. Accusing the United States of unilateral coercive measures, “economic asphyxiation” and even maritime terrorism, he said these acts show disregard for the Charter of the UN and international law. He described the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores as driven by a quest for “control over Venezuela’s land and natural resources”, calling it “imperialist and fascist aggression”, and demanded their immediate release.

Mexico’s representative said the United States’ action must not be permitted, calling it a violation of the UN Charter and a threat to multilateralism. Stressing that the Council has an “obligation to act decisively and without double standards”, he said it is for “sovereign peoples to decide their destinies” with full respect for human rights. Warning against regime change by external actors and extraterritorial measures, he said such actions have “historically” only exacerbated conflicts and weakened societies.

Sérgio França Danese (Brazil) said his country firmly rejects the armed intervention in Venezuela, calling it a blatant violation of the Charter of the UN and international law.  Stressing that “South America is a zone of peace”, he warned that bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its President “cross an unacceptable line”.  International norms, he said, allow no exceptions based on interests or ideology. Warning against spheres of influence, he linked weakened global governance to record conflicts, soaring humanitarian needs and military spending nearing $2.7 trillion.

Chile’s delegate condemned the United States’ unilateral military action in Venezuela, stressing that although Santiago does not recognize the Maduro regime, “the serious violations of human rights… do not have a military solution”. She said Venezuela’s crisis must be addressed through the “legitimate aspirations” of its people, expressed in free elections and citizen participation. Recalling Chile’s own recovery of democracy with international support and organized citizens, she urged the Secretary-General and the Council to help de-escalate the situation.

Francisco Fabián Tropepi (Argentina) welcomed President Donald J. Trump’s “decisive action”, saying it could help end repression that has driven millions of Venezuelans into poverty and forced some 8 million to flee. Warning that drug trafficking from Venezuela has harmed the entire region, he said Buenos Aires has “unequivocally denounced the lack of freedom” there. Recalling Argentina’s asylum for opposition figures, he urged international support for a peaceful path to “restore institutional normalcy” and called for the release of an Argentine citizen detained since 2024.

Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes of Latvia said that Mr. Maduro’s regime “was rooted in mass repression, corruption and organized crime, including drug trafficking, and posed a grave threat to the security of the region and the world”. The regime repeatedly violated the UN Charter and undermined international law, including through its open support for the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. She said that her country stands prepared to continue working with its partners to support a peaceful, democratic and just transition in Venezuela.

Eloy Alfaro de Alba Ambassador of Panama said that events in Venezuela are regrettable for their potential impact on regional peace but called for a constructive, forward-looking approach.

Reaffirming his country’s commitment to multilateralism, sovereignty and the UN Charter, he said Venezuela’s crisis stems from sustained democratic erosion and rejected recognition of what it called an illegitimate, authoritarian regime. He demanded the immediate release of political prisoners, highlighted the humanitarian and migratory fallout affecting the region, including Panama, and urged a peaceful, democratic transition reflecting the will expressed in Venezuela’s 2024 elections.

Michael G. Waltz United States representatives told the Security Council that Washington, D.C., carried out “a surgical law enforcement operation” to apprehend two indicted fugitives, naming “narco-terrorist Nicolás Maduro and Celia Flores”. Stressing that “there is no war against Venezuela or its people”, he compared the action to the 1989 arrest of Manuel Noriega.  He described Mr. Maduro as a fugitive and leader of a “vicious foreign terrorist organization”, alleging links to drug trafficking networks that use “illegal narcotics as a weapon”. Citing broader human rights concerns, he pointed to alleged extrajudicial killings, torture and arbitrary detentions, noting that more than 8 million Venezuelans have fled the country.

China’s representative said his country was “deeply shocked by, and strongly condemns”, what he described as the United States’ “unilateral, illegal and bullying acts” against Venezuela. He accused the United States of “wantonly trampling upon Venezuela’s sovereignty, security and legitimate rights and interests”, placing power above multilateralism and military action above diplomacy. Warning of a grave threat to peace in Latin America and beyond, he urged the United States to heed the “overwhelming voice” of the international community and return to dialogue.

Vassily A. Nebenzia of the Russian Federation condemned the United States for what he called armed aggression against Venezuela in violation of international law, urging Washington, D.C., to immediately release the “legitimately elected President” and his spouse. He called on Council members to abandon double standards and not justify “such an egregious act of aggression” out of fear of the “American global gendarme”. Warning that the United States seeks control over Venezuela’s natural resources, he said its actions are generating “fresh momentum for neocolonialism and imperialism”.

Leonor Zalabata Torres (Colombia) strongly condemned the events of 3 January, stressing that the Charter of the UN permits the use of force only in exceptional circumstances, such as self-defence, and not to seize political control of another State. She warned that uncertainty caused by the “attacks” could trigger a large influx of migrants, requiring significant resources to support host communities. As a preventive measure, she said Colombia has taken steps to maintain stability along the border and address potential humanitarian needs, including those of migrants.

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• António Guterres, destabilisation, kidnapping, Maduro, UN Security Council

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