New York (TDI): Pakistan on Monday voiced serious concern at the United Nations Security Council over the United States’ unilateral military action in Venezuela, warning that such moves violate the UN Charter and risk destabilizing the international legal order.
Addressing an emergency UNSC meeting, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, said unilateral use of force contravenes the fundamental principles of sovereign equality, non-intervention, and international law.
“Such actions set dangerous precedents that erode the foundations of the global legal framework,” Jadoon told the council, adding that history shows unilateral military interventions often lead to “unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes for years to come.”
The council meeting was convened hours before Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro was due to appear in a Manhattan federal court following his capture by US forces in an overnight operation on January 3.
US President Donald Trump later hailed the operation as “one of the most stunning, effective and powerful displays of American might,” announcing that Washington would temporarily “run” the oil-rich country until a political transition takes place.
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At the UNSC, Pakistan stressed that the only viable path forward lies in dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful engagement, with full respect for the will of the Venezuelan people and without external interference.
“Durable solutions to political differences can only be achieved through peaceful means,” Ambassador Jadoon said, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint, de-escalate tensions, and refrain from actions that could further inflame the situation.
He also encouraged the use of mediation efforts and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to contributing constructively to the UNSC’s primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.
“Peace and stability in Venezuela, and the welfare and prosperity of its people, must remain the overriding objective of all efforts,” he added.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed deep concern over the developments, warning of escalating instability and the dangerous precedent the operation could set.
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“I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between states are conducted,” Guterres said in a statement delivered by UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo.
The UN chief noted that the US operation did not appear to respect international law and urged all Venezuelan stakeholders to engage in inclusive and democratic dialogue, offering UN support for a peaceful resolution.
Colombia, which requested the emergency UNSC session, strongly condemned the US action as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“There is no justification whatsoever, under any circumstances, for the unilateral use of force to commit an act of aggression,” Colombia’s UN Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres said.
