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The United Nations human rights office said Tuesday that the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, undermined fundamental principles of international law and raised serious concerns over territorial integrity and political independence.
In a statement, U.N. human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said the High Commissioner for Human Rights is “deeply worried” about developments following the U.S. action over the weekend.
She stressed that international law clearly prohibits states from threatening or using force against another country’s territorial integrity or political independence.
The rights office noted that Washington justified the operation by citing Venezuela’s “longstanding and appalling” human rights record.
However, it emphasized that accountability for such violations cannot be achieved through unilateral military intervention that breaches international law.
“The people of Venezuela deserve accountability through a fair, victim-centered process,” the statement said, warning that further instability and militarization could worsen human rights conditions in the country.
The office called on the United States, Venezuelan authorities and the wider international community to ensure full respect for international law, including human rights norms.
The statement also reiterated that Venezuela’s future must be determined by its own people, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination and sovereignty over their lives and resources.
In a separate message shared on social media platform X, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said the US operation undermined a core principle of international law, stressing that states must not use force to pursue territorial claims or political demands.
He added that Venezuelan society needs healing and that the country’s future should be decided by its citizens.
On Jan. 3, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a U.S. military operation had captured President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and said Washington would assert control over Venezuela for the time being, including through U.S. troops if necessary.
Maduro and Flores are currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
They appeared before U.S. Judge Alvin Hellerstein in New York on Monday, where both pleaded not guilty to federal charges related to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations.
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