WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to convene Monday following a U.S. military operation that resulted in the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a move that has triggered sharp international condemnation and raised significant legal and diplomatic questions.
The emergency meeting was requested by Colombia and backed by Russia and China after U.S. forces carried out a surprise operation in Caracas early Saturday. President Donald Trump confirmed that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into U.S. custody and transferred to face federal charges in the Southern District of New York, where prosecutors have accused them of narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Maduro has been under U.S. indictment since 2020, with Washington doubling a reward for his arrest to $50 million last year. The operation followed months of U.S. maritime actions targeting Venezuelan oil shipments, including the interception of two crude tankers in December as part of an expanded sanctions enforcement campaign.
China and Russia immediately condemned the arrest, with Beijing calling it “deeply shocking” and Moscow demanding Maduro’s release. France and Iran also criticized the operation. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the action could establish a “dangerous precedent,” emphasizing the need for adherence to international law.
The Trump administration has cited Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, which allows self-defense in response to armed threats, as legal justification. However, legal analysts remain divided over whether the action complies with international norms, as Venezuela declared a state of emergency and regional leaders warned of broader instability.
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