UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has expressed being “deeply alarmed” over the United States’ military strikes on Venezuela, warning that the actions could “set a dangerous precedent.”
Guterres, through his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, yesterday, said he was “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected” and urged all actors in Venezuela to pursue inclusive dialogue, fully respecting human rights and the rule of law.
The statement followed the US announcement that it had captured Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro on drug and terrorism charges, following a large-scale military operation.
President Trump confirmed the capture, along with that of Maduro’s wife, on his social media platform, Truth Social. “The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been captured and flown out of the country. This operation was conducted in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement,” he stated.
The announcement marks the culmination of months of pressure by the Trump administration against Maduro, whom the U.S. government has long branded the head of a “narco-terrorist state.”
U.S. officials have accused Maduro of controlling criminal groups involved in drug trafficking, charges he denied.
Venezuelan authorities, however, claimed explosions in Caracas and other regions had killed civilians and declared a state of emergency in response to the attacks. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez questioned the U.S. claim of Maduro’s capture, demanding proof he is alive.
Since August, the Pentagon had amassed troops, aircraft, and warships in the Caribbean. U.S. forces have attacked numerous vessels alleged to be smuggling drugs, killing at least 115 people, while drone strikes have targeted Venezuelan port facilities. Experts have criticised some strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings, though the Trump administration maintained they were lawful acts in the ongoing conflict with drug cartels.
In recent weeks, U.S. efforts also disrupted Venezuela’s oil exports, seizing tankers and preventing others from loading crude, putting severe pressure on the government’s primary revenue source.
Maduro, in anticipation of such an operation, had reportedly tightened his inner circle and taken precautionary measures to avoid a targeted raid.
An earlier 2020 U.S. indictment accused Maduro and senior officials of conspiring with the Colombian FARC guerrilla group to smuggle cocaine into the United States, highlighting long-standing concerns over the Venezuelan regime’s links to organised crime.
This development signals a dramatic escalation in U.S.–Venezuelan tensions and sets the stage for a major geopolitical showdown in Latin America.
