UN chief Guterres raises concerns over Venezuela instability, legality of US strike

UNITED NATIONS — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised concerns on Monday about a possible intensification of instability in Venezuela after the US capture of the Latin American country's president Nicolas Maduro.

The 15-member Security Council met at UN headquarters in New York just hours before Maduro was due to appear in a Manhattan federal court on drug charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy. Maduro has denied any criminal involvement.

"I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted," Guterres said in a statement delivered to the council by UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo.

Guterres called on all Venezuelan actors to engage in an inclusive and democratic dialogue, adding: "I welcome and am ready to support all efforts aimed at assisting Venezuelans in finding a peaceful way forward."

He also expressed concern that the US operation to capture Maduro in Caracas on Saturday did not respect the rules of international law.

'Act of aggression'

Colombia, which requested Monday's meeting, condemned the US operation as a clear violation of the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Venezuela.

"There is no justification whatsoever, under any circumstances, for the unilateral use of force to commit an act of aggression," Colombian UN Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres told the council. "Such actions constitute a serious violation of international law and the United Nations Charter."

Legal experts have said the US operation was illegal because it lacked UN Security Council authorization, did not have Venezuelan consent and did not constitute self-defense against an armed attack.

But the United States cannot be held accountable for any violation by the UN Security Council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security. The United States wields a veto—along with Russia, China, Britain and France—so it can block any action.

The founding UN Charter states that members "shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." There are currently 193 members of the United Nations.

US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz on Sunday cited Article 51 of the UN Charter, which says that nothing "shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations."

Trump has threatened another strike if Venezuela does not cooperate with opening its oil industry and stopping the flow of drugs. Trump also threatened Colombia and Mexico, and said Cuba's communist government "looks like it's ready to fall." — Reuters