 "Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks as he presents a proposal to reform the constitution in a session of the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela on February 15, 2025. Reuters File")
Venezuela has asked the UN Security Council to declare recent US strikes on vessels off its coast illegal and issue a statement defending its sovereignty, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
The letter, sent by Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada, said at least 27 people were killed in “civilian vessels transiting international waters” and called on the council to investigate the strikes and reaffirm the principle of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The strikes came after President Donald Trump ordered a major US military buildup in the southern Caribbean. Washington claimed the targeted vessels were linked to drug trafficking but provided no evidence.
In Caracas, President Nicolás Maduro accused the CIA of being authorised to carry out operations aimed at destabilising Venezuela. “No government had ever publicly said it ordered the CIA to kill, overthrow, and destroy countries,” Maduro said, calling the US campaign an “open conspiracy” against Venezuela’s peace and stability.
However, any UN action remains unlikely as the US holds veto power in the Security Council. The body met last week at the request of Venezuela, Russia, and China to discuss the tensions.
Defending the operations, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said the strikes were consistent with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which allows self-defence against armed attacks.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Venezuela can bring whatever they want to the UN,” Waltz told Fox News. “You know what’s also part of the UN is Article 51 of the UN Charter that enables a country to defend itself. And that’s what President Trump’s doing and is going to do.”