Amid a dramatic escalation between the United States and Venezuela, members of the Security Council were sharply divided over the fate of ousted President Nicolás Maduro Moros and next steps for his oil-rich nation, even as many delegates warned that Washington, D.C.'s, actions threaten the very foundations upon which the multilateral world order was built.
"Today, it is not only Venezuela's sovereignty that is at stake," said that country's representative, who addressed the 15-member organ in its first meeting of 2026. "The credibility of international law, the authority of this Organization and the validity of the principle that no State can set itself up as judge, party and executor of the world order are also at stake."
Describing the events of 3 January as profound and historic for the entire international community, he said his country was the target of an illegitimate armed attack, lacking any legal justification, by the United States. "If the kidnapping of a Head of State, the bombing of a sovereign country and the open threat of further armed action are tolerated or downplayed, the message sent to the world is a devastating one - namely, that the law is optional and that force is the true arbiter of international relations," he warned.
'There Is No War against Venezuela'
The representative of the United States, however, emphasized that "there is no war against Venezuela or its people". His country's military conducted a surgical law enforcement operation to apprehend two indicted fugitives, the "narco-terrorists" Nicolás Maduro Moros and Celia Flores. Framing the action as a law enforcement operation in furtherance of lawful indictments, he likened it to the 1989 arrest of Panama's former leader, Manuel Noriega, and said the region was more stable as a result.
Mr. Maduro is not just an indicted drug trafficker, he said, but the leader of a vicious terrorist organization, the Cartel de los Soles, which works with other gangs to use illegal narcotics as a weapon against the United States. He also rejected the legitimacy of Mr. Maduro's presidency, citing a UN finding that he manipulated Venezuela's electoral system and that the 2024 election was a farce. Under his regime, Venezuela has seen extrajudicial killings, torture and arbitrary detentions, and more than 8 million refugees have fled the country.
At the meeting's outset, Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, delivered remarks on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres. "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," she said.
Voicing grave concern over decades of instability, human rights violations and economic turmoil in Venezuela, she nevertheless called for respect for the Charter of the UN, including the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of States. "The situation is critical, but it is still possible to prevent a wider and more destructive conflagration," she stressed.
Force, Coercion Cannot Legitimately Decide Venezuela's Future
Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, also briefed, noting that the issue at stake today is not Venezuela's character. "The issue is whether any Member State, by force, coercion or economic strangulation has the right to determine Venezuela's political future or to exercise control over its affairs."
Since 1947, he said, the United States has repeatedly used force and political manipulation to bring about regime change. In 2025 alone, it carried out bombings in seven countries - Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and now Venezuela - none of which were authorized by the Council or undertaken in lawful self-defence under the Charter of the UN. Calling on the United States to immediately end all explicit and implicit threats against Venezuela, he also recommended the appointment of a UN envoy to report on the crisis within 14 days.
Also briefing the Council was the civil society leader Mercedes De Freitas, Founder and Executive Director of Transparencia Venezuela, who said national and international criminal organizations have a symbiotic relationship with the regime of Nicolás Maduro. "Great corruption has led to the decrease of the income of the State and therefore public expenditure, which has affected the quality of public services," she said. Venezuelans now live with just a few hours of electricity per day in many parts of the country and face daily extortion from armed groups.
"So many families rely on only one meal per day," she said, adding that the Government is wracked by impunity, corruption and a lack of checks and balances that fuels repression. "We need a transparent State that is accountable, that will protect public goods for everyone," she said, calling for freedom for all Venezuelan political prisoners.
Council members and other delegates - including many of Venezuela's neighbours - also took the floor to express their views.
Condemnation for 'Unilateral, Illegal, Bullying Acts' by United States
"China is deeply shocked by, and strongly condemns, the unilateral, illegal and bullying acts of the United States," said that country's representative. A permanent member of the Security Council has disregarded the concerns of the global community and "wantonly trampled upon Venezuela's sovereignty, security and legitimate rights and interests", he said, urging Washington, D.C., to heed the "overwhelming voice" of the international community, learn the lessons of history and return to the path of dialogue.
"The bell is ringing for all UN Member States and for the future of the Organization itself," said the representative of the Russian Federation, echoing those points. "We cannot allow the United States to proclaim itself as some kind of a supreme judge which alone bears the right to invade any country." He voiced concern over Washington, D.C.'s, establishment of unbridled control over Venezuela's natural resources, warning that "fresh momentum for neocolonialism and for imperialism" is again rearing its head.
Mexico's representative, echoed by the representatives of Brazil, South Africa and Eritrea - who spoke on behalf of the Group of Friends of the UN Charter - agreed that the United States' aggression must not be permitted, as it constitutes a violation of the Charter and a threat to multilateralism. "It is for sovereign peoples to decide their destinies […] within a framework of unrestricted respect for human rights." Regime change by external actors, and the application of extraterritorial measures, do not only run counter to international law. "Historically, all they have done is exacerbate conflicts and weaken the social and political fabric of nations," he said.
"Latin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace," said Nicaragua's representative, stressing that the zone must be respected by all countries of the world without exception. Calling for the immediate release of President Maduro - the rightful leader of Venezuela - he said the Venezuelan people "have never bowed the knee", instead staunchly defending their right to sovereignty. Nicaragua stands with them and urges all Member States to do the same.
Cuba's delegate warned the Council that the United States' "hegemonic and criminal plans" towards Venezuela had already produced serious and unpredictable consequences for regional stability. Citing its long-standing campaign of unilateral coercive measures, "economic asphyxiation" and even maritime terrorism, he described recent events as further evidence of an "imperialist and fascist aggression" rooted in the outdated Monroe Doctrine. The United States must release President Maduro and his wife, and the global community must respond to this incident of State terrorism.
Durable Solutions Can Only Be Found through Peaceful Means
The representative of Uganda spoke on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, joining others in condemning the United States' aggression in Venezuela - an act of war that undermines regional and international peace, security and stability. Demanding an end to all hostilities and full respect for Venezuela's sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and right to self-determination, she warned that those responsible must be held to account. "Military solutions are not viable avenues" for resolving disputes, she stressed.
Echoing those points was the representative of Iran, who also noted grave threats made against his country in recent days by United States President Donald J. Trump. "The United States is shedding crocodile tears for the Iranian people and hypocritically claims to support them while maintaining a well-documented record of intervention, the use of force and the imposition of unlawful unilateral coercive measures against Iran," he said, likening the situation to that unfolding in Venezuela.
Pakistan's delegate - echoed by other speakers, including the representatives of Colombia and Liberia, who also spoke for Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo - voiced concern that the recent escalation "sets dangerous precedents" and could fuel instability, "which - as history has shown time and again - can lead to unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes for years to come". Durable solutions can only be found through peaceful means, with full respect for the will of the Venezuelan people, free from any external interference, he said.
"These Developments Constitute a Dangerous Precedent"
Several speakers struck a similar tone, even while highlighting their grave concerns about the legitimacy of President Maduro's regime. Those included the representatives of Spain, Chile, Greece and Denmark, with the latter emphasizing: "The inviolability of borders is not up for negotiation."
While Denmark does not recognize Mr. Maduro as the legitimate President of Venezuela, and has serious concerns about his regime's oppression and human rights violations, she said the Venezuelan people nevertheless have a right to determine their political, economic and social future without coercion, pressure or manipulation by external actors. "Independent of the situation in Venezuela, these developments constitute a dangerous precedent."
France's delegate agreed that Venezuelans' right to choose their leaders was stolen from them in an election "marred by a lack of transparency". However, the military operation against Mr. Maduro runs counter to the principles of the peaceful resolution of disputes, "chips away at the international order", and weakens international peace and security. Any transition in Venezuela "must be led by and for the Venezuelans", he stressed.
The representative of the United Kingdom, along with the representatives of Latvia, Bahrain and Panama, said Mr. Maduro's regime created extreme levels of poverty, exacerbated drug trafficking and precipitated a displacement crisis affecting the whole region. The former noted the United Kingdom's desire to see a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate Government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people, while reaffirming its commitment to international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter. "These foundations are essential for maintaining global peace, security and the rule of law," he said.
Support for United States Actions in Venezuela, Dismantling Crime Networks
While some speakers focused on the opportunity created by President Maduro's ouster for Venezuelans to chart a new path forward, others specifically welcomed and supported the United States' actions in recent days.
Argentina's delegate, for one, praised President Trump's decisive action, voicing hope that it will end the oppression that has driven Venezuelans into poverty. The entire region has been harmed by drug trafficking exported from Venezuela, he said, urging the international community to help "restore institutional normalcy" in the country.
Similarly, the representative of Trinidad and Tobago said his country, a neighbour of Venezuela, is committed to efforts led by the United States to disrupt and dismantle transnational crime networks across the Americas. Voicing steadfast support for Washington, D.C.'s, initiatives that strengthen regional security and reinforce the rule of law, he underscored his country's long-standing relationship with both the United States and Venezuela.
Paraguay's delegate agreed that President Maduro and the Cartel de los Soles were a threat to his region. "The exit of the leader of that terrorist organization should immediately lead to the restoration of democracy" in Venezuela, he said. Calling for the release of all political prisoners in that country, he reiterated that Venezuela's return to democracy is crucial for the stability of the region.
The representative of Cuba took the floor for a second intervention.
Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here .
