A group of independent United Nations experts has condemned recent U.S. military strikes against Venezuela, calling them a “dangerous escalation” that amount to extrajudicial executions in violation of international law.
The experts, appointed by the U.N. Human Rights Council, said in a statement on Thursday that President Donald Trump’s authorization of at least six strikes on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean—resulting in at least 27 deaths—breached both the law of the sea and the U.N. Charter.
- Advertisement -
“Even if such allegations were substantiated, the use of lethal force in international waters without proper legal basis violates the international law of the sea and amounts to extrajudicial executions,” the statement read.
The panel said the attacks, carried out under the pretext of fighting “narcoterrorism” linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, violated Venezuela’s sovereignty and the U.S.’s fundamental obligation “not to intervene in domestic affairs or threaten to use armed force against another country.”
“These moves are an extremely dangerous escalation with grave implications for peace and security in the Caribbean region,” the experts warned.
Washington has rejected the 2024 Venezuelan election results, claiming that Maduro’s opponent was the legitimate winner. In response to the U.N. statement, a senior U.S. State Department official, speaking anonymously, dismissed the criticism:
“These so-called ‘experts’ fail to acknowledge that they’re defending an illegitimate leader who undermines regional security and poisons Americans.”
The U.S. has defended its military campaign as consistent with Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, which allows for actions taken in self-defense against armed attacks, though experts note that the provision does not justify unilateral offensive strikes in international waters.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil welcomed the U.N. experts’ findings, saying they validated Caracas’ long-standing warnings about U.S. aggression.
“The United States fabricates enemies to justify a supposed right to self-defense, which results in massacres in the Caribbean,” Gil said in a Telegram message.
The strikes come amid a massive U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, including guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine, and approximately 6,500 troops deployed as tensions escalate between Washington and Caracas.
President Trump recently confirmed he had also authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that U.N. experts warned would represent “an even graver breach” of the U.N. Charter if carried out.
The experts said they have reached out to Washington seeking clarification on the legal justifications for the strikes and further details on civilian casualties, emphasizing that unilateral military actions risk destabilizing the entire Caribbean region.
