U.N. Security Council Criticizes U.S. Raid That Captured Venezuela’s Maduro

Some of the United States’ staunchest allies criticized a U.S. military raid that captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and brought him before a federal judge in Manhattan, the U.N. Security Council heard at an emergency meeting. U.N. secretary general António Guterres said the Trump administration had violated the U.N.

charter with the nighttime raid in Caracas that used roughly 200 members of U.S. special forces. Member nations described the operation as a violation of international law, and representatives from Russia and China demanded the couple’s release. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Mike Waltz, defended the action, calling Maduro a "narcotics fugitive" rather than a head of state and saying there was "no war against Venezuela or its people," characterizing the operation as "a law enforcement operation." Mr.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, pleaded not guilty in Manhattan while Mr. Maduro insisted he remained Venezuela’s president and said he had been "kidnapped" in the raid. The arraignment followed a monthslong U.S. campaign to drive Mr. Maduro from power; his lawyer, Barry Pollack, raised questions about the legality of what he called a "military abduction." In Caracas, Delcy Rodríguez, Mr.

Maduro’s former vice president, was sworn in as interim leader, denounced the "illegitimate military aggression" and called the detained couple hostages.

Key Topics

World, Nicolas Maduro, United Nations, Delcy Rodriguez, Cilia Flores, Us Special Forces