Geneva [Switzerland], January 3 (ANI): The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Saturday that he was deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela and expressed his concern over international law not being respected.
In a post on X shared by the Office of Guterres, it was mentioned, “The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with today’s United States military action in the country, which has potential worrying implications for the region.”
The statement further said, “Independently of the situation in Venezuela, these developments constitute a dangerous precedent. The Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect – by all – of international law, including the UN Charter. He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.
The Secretary-General calls on all actors in Venezuela to engage in inclusive dialogue, in full respect of human rights and the rule of law.”
.@antonioguterres is deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela.
He continues to emphasize the importance of full respect – by all – of international law, including the UN Charter.
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Full statement: https://t.co/2ZJjZkc9S7
— UN Spokesperson (@UN_Spokesperson) January 3, 2026
Earlier, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday strongly condemned American strikes into Venezuela and gave a call to US to abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and stop “violating other countries’ sovereignty and security.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday condemned the US strikes on Venezuela and the capture of President Maduro.
He called the attack a violation of international law and said that the action recalls the worst moments of interference in the politics of Latin America and the Caribbean, threatening the preservation of the region as a zone of peace.
The Russian Federation on Saturday issued an additional statement on its response to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The Russian side said if the reports were true, it was an unacceptable violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty.
In its statement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation said,” We are extremely concerned by reports that the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro and his spouse were forcibly taken out of the country during today’s aggressive actions by the United States. We demand immediate clarification of these reports. If such actions did in fact take place, they represent an unacceptable violation of the sovereignty of an independent state, the respect for which is a fundamental principle of international law.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry also called the US strike on Venezuela and the subsequent capture of incumbent President Nicolas Maduro as an act or armed aggression and said that the pretext used to justify the action is untenable.
The United States carried out strikes on Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro, along with his wife, Cilia Flores, who were flown out of the country.
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that America would run Venezuela until a safe, proper and judicious transition is ensured.
He made the remarks during a press conference from Palm Beach, Florida as he briefed on the American strikes on Venezuela.
Noting that the United States’ action in Venezuela was “one of the most stunning, effective, and powerful displays of American military might and competence in American history”, President Donald Trump said on Saturday that no nation in the world could achieve what America achieved.
Trump said US companies will fix the broken oil infrastructure in Venezuela.
“As everyone knows, the oil business in Venezuela has been a bust, a total bust for a long period of time. They were pumping almost nothing by comparison to what they could have been pumping and what could have taken place. We’re going to have our very large United States oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure, the oil infrastructure, and start making money for the country.”
The US President said his administration wants “peace, justice and liberty for the great people of Venezuela”.
“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition. We want peace, justice and liberty for the great people of Venezuela… We can’t take a chance if somebody else takes over Venezuela, doesn’t have the good of Venezuelan people in mind. We’re not going to let that happen. We are there now but we are going to stay until such time till proper transition takes place. We’re going to run it essentially until such time,” he said.
Earlier, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said that the operation was done in conjunction with US Law Enforcement.US Attorney General Pamela Bondi on Saturday announced that captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism and would face US justice.
“Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Nicolas Maduro has been charged with Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States. They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she said in a post on X.
“On behalf of the entire U.S. DOJ, I would like to thank President Trump for having the courage to demand accountability on behalf of the American People, and a huge thank you to our brave military who conducted the incredible and highly successful mission to capture these two alleged international Narco- traffickers,” she added.
The “capture of Maduro” comes amid an increase in tensions between the United States and Venezuela. (ANI)