Venezuela Asks UN to Condemn U.S. Strikes
Venezuela has formally asked the U.N. Security Council to declare recent U.S. strikes on vessels near its coast illegal, and to affirm Venezuela’s sovereignty over its maritime territory.
Allegations of casualties
In a letter, Venezuela’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada accused the U.S. of killing at least 27 people in operations targeting what Caracas describes as civilian vessels in international waters.
U.S. response and veto power
The U.S. defends the strikes as legitimate acts of self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter. However, any formal condemnation by the Security Council is unlikely to succeed due to Washington’s veto power.
Broader context
The strikes come amid a broader U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, officially aimed at countering drug trafficking. Venezuela, in turn, has accused Washington of using drug interdiction as a pretext for destabilizing pressure and possible regime change.
