United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by United States special forces represents “a dangerous precedent” and risks undermining international law.
In a statement issued on Saturday in New York by the UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, Mr Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed” by the escalating standoff between Washington and Caracas in recent months, which culminated in the early-hours military operation announced by the US.
The warning followed confirmation by US President Donald Trump that American forces had carried out a large-scale strike on Venezuela and taken Maduro and his wife into custody.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi later said that Mr Maduro and his wife would face prosecution in the United States, declaring that they would be met with “the full wrath of American justice on American soil, in American courts”.
Mr Maduro was first indicted in New York in 2020 during Mr Trump’s initial term in office, on charges linked to drug trafficking.
According to US officials, Saturday’s operation began with overnight air strikes in and around Caracas, Venezuela’s capital. In response, the Venezuelan authorities declared a state of national emergency, while casualty figures and the full extent of the damage remained unconfirmed.
The Venezuelan government denounced the action as an “extremely serious military aggression” by the United States, saying it followed months of rising tensions between the two countries.
Those tensions have included a significant US military build-up off Venezuela’s coast, a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels, and recent orders by Washington to seize sanctioned oil tankers.
The UN statement noted that the Secretary-General was “deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with today’s United States military action in the country, which has potentially worrying implications for the region”.
“Independently of the situation in Venezuela, these developments constitute a dangerous precedent,” the statement said. “The Secretary-General continues to emphasise the importance of full respect — by all — of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations.”
It added that Mr Guterres was “deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected”.
The UN chief called on all parties to exercise restraint and engage in “inclusive dialogue” in line with international law and human rights standards, warning that further escalation could destabilise the wider region.
Venezuela has formally requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York to address the US military action and its consequences.
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