UN Rights Chief Says U.S. Military Operation in Venezuela Violated International Law
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep concern over the United States’ military operation in Venezuela, saying it “undermined a fundamental principle of international law” by using force against another country’s territorial integrity and political independence.
In a statement released Tuesday, the UN rights office criticized Washington’s justification of the incursion on the basis of alleged Venezuelan human rights abuses, emphasizing that accountability cannot be achieved through unilateral military intervention that contravenes international legal norms. It stressed that respect for international law and human rights must guide actions affecting Venezuela’s future.
The operation — which included strikes and the capture of President Maduro and his wife by U.S. forces — has sparked widespread global reaction, with many countries denouncing it as a breach of Article 2 of the UN Charter and a dangerous precedent for international stability.
At an emergency UN Security Council session, several member states condemned the assault and questioned the implications of normalizing regime change by force. Critics argue that such actions threaten the established post‑war legal order designed to prevent unilateral use of force.
The human rights office also warned that the ongoing instability and further militarization could exacerbate violations of Venezuelans’ rights, and reiterated that the country’s future must be determined by its own people with full respect for sovereignty and self‑determination.
The controversy comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions following the dramatic early‑January operation, which has drawn both condemnation and debate from governments and legal experts around the world.
