U.S. Isolated at U.N. Over Military Seizure of Venezuelan Leader

The United States faced a barrage of international criticism at an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting on Monday over its military seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. While many nations acknowledged Maduro's repressive and illegitimate rule, the U.S. action was widely condemned as an illegal breach of international law and the U.N. Charter.

France, America's most vocal ally in the session, led the charge. Deputy Ambassador Jay Dharmadhikari stated the operation “runs counter to the principle of peaceful dispute resolution,” warning that such violations by permanent Security Council members “chip away at the very foundation of the international order.” Other European partners, including Denmark, expressed "deep concern," labeling the move a "dangerous precedent."   Follow & Share Our WhatsApp Channel

Criticism spanned global alliances. Colombia’s Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres asserted there is “no justification for the unilateral use of force,” calling it a serious violation of international law. Russia's Vassili Nebenzia accused the U.S. of "international banditry" and "neo-colonialism," while China's Sun Lei strongly condemned the "unilateral, illegal, and bullying" action.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern that international law had been disregarded, urging that "the power of the law must prevail." The United Kingdom and Greece, while not directly condemning the U.S., stressed the need for a peaceful, democratic transition based on the will of the Venezuelan people.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz defended the operation as a lawful action against an illegitimate leader implicated in drug trafficking and terrorism. "You cannot continue to have the largest energy reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the U.S.," Waltz argued, claiming the mission targeted a hub for Iranian, Hezbollah, and other malign actors.

The council meeting revealed profound global divisions, with the U.S. standing largely alone in its defense of the military intervention.