UN chief worries Venezuela crisis may spiral dangerously
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced grave concern over Venezuela’s future, warning that the country stands at a critical crossroads following recent US military action that has sharply escalated regional and international tensions.
In a statement delivered to the UN Security Council by Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, Guterres said the Council was meeting “at a grave time,” underscoring the seriousness of developments that followed the 3 January operation carried out by the United States inside Venezuela.
According to widely reported accounts, the operation unfolded across Caracas and the northern states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. While the broad contours of the action are known, the precise human cost remains uncertain, with no clear figures on casualties. The lack of verified information has added to the sense of unease surrounding the situation, both within Venezuela and beyond its borders.
US President Donald Trump announced what he described as a “large-scale strike” and the rendition of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In subsequent remarks, Trump said the United States would “run the country” until a political transition could be secured. Those statements have drawn sharp reactions from Caracas and raised alarm among diplomats and international observers.
Venezuela has condemned the operation as an act of blatant military aggression and a flagrant violation of the UN Charter. Its government has argued that the action threatens not only Venezuela’s sovereignty but also international and regional peace and security. The rhetoric on both sides has intensified fears of a wider confrontation.
President Maduro is currently being held in New York and is due to appear in court on Monday, just a few miles from UN Headquarters in Manhattan. US authorities have accused him and his wife, Cilia Flores, of serious drug trafficking and weapons-related offences. The proximity of these legal proceedings to the United Nations has only heightened the symbolic and political weight of the moment.
“What is less certain is the immediate future of Venezuela,” Guterres warned, stressing that the country now faces the risk of deepening instability, regional repercussions and a dangerous precedent in relations among states. His remarks reflected concern not just for Venezuela’s internal situation, but for the broader international order.
The Secretary-General emphasized that respect for international law must remain the guiding principle in moments of crisis. Recalling the UN Charter, Guterres noted that it explicitly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
that these rules exist to prevent exactly the kind of escalation now being witnessed.
Guterres also placed the current crisis in a wider context, noting that Venezuela has endured decades of internal instability and prolonged social and economic turmoil. Democratic institutions have been weakened, and millions of Venezuelans have fled their homes in search of safety and opportunity elsewhere. For many ordinary people, the latest developments have only deepened a sense of fear and uncertainty about what lies ahead.
Despite the severity of the moment, the Secretary-General struck a cautiously hopeful note. He said that while the situation is critical, it is still possible to prevent a “wider and more destructive conflagration.” That outcome, he stressed, would require restraint, dialogue and a recommitment to shared principles.
He called on all Venezuelan actors to engage in inclusive and democratic dialogue that allows all sectors of society to shape the country’s future. Such a process, he said, must be grounded in respect for human rights, the rule of law and the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people.
Emphasizing sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity, he insisted that “the power of the law must prevail.” International law, he said, offers tools to address challenges ranging from human rights concerns to illicit trafficking and resource disputes.