Donald Trump has ‘damaged’ worldwide legislation UN says after army strikes in Venezuela
The United Nations has slammed the US’ military assault and capture of Venezuela’s President Maduro as a “dangerous precedent”, warning the strikes could spark chaos across the region
The United Nations (UN) has sounded the alarm over the US’ dramatic military strikes in Venezuela. The intervention, which has been said to set a “dangerous precedent”, could have troubling consequences for the entire region.
US President Donald Trump described his major military operation in Venezuela involving airstrikes and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro as a “large-scale strike” conducted in conjunction with US law enforcement to topple what he termed a “narco-terrorist state”. Nevertheless, experts have argued against the intervention while the international community has condemned the act.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, has reportedly released a statement expressing deep “alarm” about the “escalation” in Venezuela.
Dujarric reportedly also mentioned potential breaches of international law. Moreover, the latest US attacks on Venezuela “carry potential worrying implications for the region”, Dujarric said, Al Jazeera reported.
He stated: “Independently of the situation in Venezuela, these developments constitute a dangerous precedent.” Dujarric reportedly said the secretary-general “continues to emphasise the importance of full respect – by all – of international law, including the UN Charter”.
He added: “He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.” US forces launched a series of devastating airstrikes on Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, in the early hours of Saturday (January 3).
The intervention reportedly targeted key military and government sites including the presidential palace and main army bases. The assault, which left parts of the city in darkness and military facilities crippled, culminated in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by elite American troops in a helicopter raid.
Trump hailed the operation as a “brilliant” success, revealing that Maduro is being whisked to New York to face narco-terrorism charges. Fatalities have been confirmed following the US military operation, with both Venezuelan officials and the government acknowledging deaths among civilians and military personnel, though exact numbers remain unclear.
While Trump stated that no US troops were killed, despite a helicopter incident that caused some injuries, the Venezuelan Defense Minister and Vice President reported that “innocent victims” were among those mortally wounded in urban areas.
These latest casualties come on top of a broader toll from Operation Southern Spear, the months-long US campaign against alleged drug-trafficking targets, which has already left at least 115 people dead in more than 35 separate strikes since September 2025.
The international community has responded with deep alarm with reactions ranging from sharp condemnation of the use of force to calls for a peaceful transition.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot declared the operation “contravenes the principle of non-use of force” and violates international law, stressing that no lasting political solution can be imposed from the outside.
The European Union’s Kaja Kallas acknowledged Maduro’s lack of legitimacy but insisted the UN Charter and international law must be respected. In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer clarified Britain was not involved and said he must “establish the facts”, while emphasising that all nations should uphold international law.
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