The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Tuesday warned that U.S. intervention in Venezuela breaches international law and threatens global security.
Over the weekend, U.S. forces carried out a surprise operation that removed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who now faces four criminal charges in the U.S., including narco-terrorism. Maduro’s vice president has been sworn in as interim president.
“The operation clearly violated a core principle of international law: no state should threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state,” the OHCHR stated.
Ravina Shamdasani, the Office’s chief spokesperson, urged the international community to “speak with one voice” in defending this principle. She stressed that the intervention, instead of promoting human rights, undermines global stability.
“It sends a dangerous message that powerful nations can act with impunity,” Shamdasani said, adding that Venezuela’s future should be determined by its people. She warned that further instability and militarization would only worsen the human rights situation in the country.