THE United Nations human rights office on Tuesday condemned the United States military operation that resulted in the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, calling it a violation of international law that undermines global security.
Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), told reporters in Geneva that the operation “violates a fundamental principle of international law… it violates the UN Charter,” which prohibits states from threatening or using force against the territorial integrity or political independence of other nations.
Photo source: United Nations
“Using human rights arguments as a justification for this kind of military intervention is unacceptable,” Shamdasani said. “Far from being a victory for human rights, this military intervention, which is in contravention of Venezuelan sovereignty and the UN Charter, damages the architecture of international security, making every country less safe.”
The spokesperson urged the international community to speak with one voice against the action, which she said contravenes international law established by UN member states. She emphasised that Venezuela’s future “must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination and sovereignty over their lives and their resources.”
The military operation comes as Venezuela faces a severe humanitarian crisis. According to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), nearly 8 million people—approximately one-quarter of the country’s population—require humanitarian assistance, based on a plan established in late 2024.
OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters that 900,000 Venezuelans are in very high categories of multisectoral need, requiring food, nutrition, education and health services. Despite Venezuela being one of the least-funded UN aid operations, the organisation reached approximately 2 million people with assistance in 2025, Laerke said.
