By Zoila Palma: Today, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to address the crisis in Venezuela following the United States’ military operation on 3 January that removed President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from the country.
The meeting, requested by Colombia and Venezuela and supported by China and Russia, is being held under the agenda item “Threats to international peace and security.” Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is expected to brief the Council, alongside two civil society representatives.
Venezuela and several regional states, including Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Mexico, are participating under the Council’s provisional rules.
The U.S. operation involved large-scale airstrikes in Caracas before special operations forces captured Maduro and Flores and transported them to New York, where they now face U.S. criminal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine and weapons offenses.
U.S. officials said more than 150 aircraft were used to neutralize Venezuelan air defenses and that no American troops were killed.
Venezuelan authorities, however, report that at least 80 people died in the attacks, including civilians and security personnel.
Washington said the operation followed months of heightened U.S. military activity around Venezuela, which it justified as part of efforts to curb drug trafficking.
Since late 2025, the U.S. has intercepted vessels it alleges were smuggling drugs or sanctioned Venezuelan oil, actions that Caracas says resulted in significant civilian deaths. President Donald Trump also ordered a blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers in December. The Security Council had already convened twice last year to discuss escalating tensions, at Venezuela’s request.
Speaking after the operation, Trump said the United States would temporarily “run” Venezuela until a transition could take place, reiterating claims that Maduro led a drug cartel and insisting Washington does not recognize the legitimacy of his 2024 election victory. He accused Venezuela of unlawfully seizing U.S. oil assets and said American companies would repair the country’s oil infrastructure, using revenues to benefit Venezuelans and compensate the U.S. Trump warned that U.S. troops could still be deployed and that other Venezuelan leaders could face similar consequences.
In a letter to the Security Council, Venezuela condemned the U.S. action as a violation of the UN Charter, accusing Washington of “brutal, unjustified and unilateral armed attacks” on its territory.
Caracas argued the operation breached the prohibition on the use of force and said it reserved the right to self-defense. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed alarm, warning that the escalation set a “dangerous precedent” and could destabilize the region, a message DiCarlo is expected to reinforce during the briefing.
International reaction has been sharply divided.
Several regional states, including Brazil, Mexico and Spain, rejected the U.S. military action as illegal and destabilizing, while China and Russia directly condemned it as aggression.
U.S. allies have stopped short of explicit criticism but urged de-escalation and respect for international law.
The post International News: UN Security Council holds Emergency meeting after U.S. military operation in Venezuela appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Today, the UN Security Council is holding an emergency meeting to address the crisis in Venezuela following the United States’ military operation on 3 January that removed President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from the country. The meeting, requested by Colombia and Venezuela and supported by China and Russia, is
The post International News: UN Security Council holds Emergency meeting after U.S. military operation in Venezuela appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
