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United Nations human rights experts issued a sharp rebuke Tuesday of what they characterized as covert American military operations and threats against Venezuela, warning that such actions breach international law and could destabilize the Caribbean region.
The experts said recent U.S. conduct violates fundamental prohibitions against intervening in other nations' domestic affairs and threatening armed force against sovereign countries.
"These moves are an extremely dangerous escalation with grave implications for peace and security in the Caribbean region," the experts said in a statement.
The criticism follows reports of increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean and recent deadly operations by American forces targeting vessels off Venezuela's coast that were allegedly involved in drug trafficking. The UN experts questioned the legal foundation for such strikes.
"Even if such allegations were substantiated, the use of lethal force in international waters without proper legal basis violates the international law of the sea and amounts to extrajudicial executions," they said.
The statement also addressed what the experts described as preparations for possible covert or direct military action, calling such planning "an even graver breach of the UN Charter."
President Donald Trump recently designated the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua and other groups as terrorist organizations, asserting they threaten U.S. security. The UN experts disputed that classification, arguing the groups are not attacking the United States and therefore provide no grounds for self-defense under international law.
Invoking Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use or threat of force against any state's territorial integrity or political independence, the experts called on Washington to halt what they termed unlawful attacks and threats.
"The long history of external interventions in Latin America must not be repeated," the experts said, urging the United States to respect international law and reaffirm its commitment to UN Charter principles.
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