UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. File photo. AFP.
New York: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the developments in Venezuela following a US military operation that resulted in the detention of President Nicolas Maduro last Saturday, warning of the risks of escalating instability within the country and its potential repercussions across the region.
In a statement delivered on his behalf by UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Monday, Guterres said that the United States did not adhere to international law in carrying out its military operation in Venezuela, describing the action as a "dangerous precedent” that threatens the foundations of international relations and the UN Charter.
He stressed that Venezuela's near-term future is highly uncertain and expressed concern about the potential rise in instability within the country, its impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for interstate relations.
Guterres noted that Venezuela has suffered for decades from deep internal instability, coupled with a severe social and economic crisis and erosion of democratic principles, which has forced millions of citizens to flee the country.
He called on all Venezuelan parties to engage in an inclusive democratic dialogue that allows all segments of society to determine the country's future.
The Secretary-General's statement comes two days after US President Donald Trump announced a large-scale strike against Venezuela, resulting in the arrest of President Maduro and his wife and their transfer to US territory.
Russia, China, and other countries termed the US military operation in Venezuela as a violation of international law, while US allies, many of whom opposed Maduro, expressed comparatively muted concern over the use of military force.
