Pakistan has voiced serious alarm at the United Nations over the rapidly unfolding situation in Venezuela, warning that unilateral military measures could trigger long-term instability and set troubling precedents in international relations.
Speaking at an emergency session of the UN Security Council in New York, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said that unilateral use of force runs counter to the core principles of the UN Charter, including respect for state sovereignty and non-intervention.
He cautioned that such actions undermine the international legal order and risk weakening norms that safeguard global peace and security. Ambassador Jadoon warned that history shows externally imposed military solutions often generate instability with consequences that can spiral beyond control.
The Security Council meeting was convened following a US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the early hours of January 3. Following the operation, US President Donald Trump described the action as a powerful demonstration of American capability and announced that Washington would oversee governance in Venezuela until a political transition takes place.
The 15-member Council met only hours before Maduro was scheduled to appear before a federal court in Manhattan on charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy.
Addressing the Council, Ambassador Jadoon stressed that the only sustainable path forward lies in dialogue and diplomacy. He said political disputes can only be resolved through peaceful means, with full respect for the democratic will of the Venezuelan people and without outside interference.
He urged all parties to show restraint, reduce tensions, avoid steps that could worsen the fragile situation, and engage in meaningful dialogue, including through mediation initiatives. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to playing a constructive role in helping the Security Council fulfill its responsibility to maintain international peace and security.
Ambassador Jadoon emphasized that the well-being, stability, and prosperity of Venezuela, guided by the choices of its own people, must remain the central objective of any international effort.
Earlier, UN Secretary-General António Guterres also expressed concern over the potential escalation of instability following the US operation. In a statement delivered to the Council by Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, Guterres warned that the developments could have wider regional implications and create a precedent affecting how states conduct relations with one another.
The Secretary-General called on all Venezuelan stakeholders to pursue an inclusive and democratic political process and said the United Nations stands ready to support efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution. He also raised concerns that the operation to detain Maduro did not adhere to established principles of international law.
Several countries echoed similar concerns during the meeting. Colombia, which requested the emergency session, condemned the US action as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity. Colombia’s UN Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres said there was no justification under international law for the unilateral use of force, describing the operation as an act of aggression that contravenes the UN Charter.
Legal experts have also questioned the legality of the US operation, noting that it lacked Security Council authorization, was carried out without Venezuelan consent, and did not meet the criteria for self-defense against an armed attack.