UN Experts Condemn US Covert Actions as Violations of Venezuelan Sovereignty and International Law

United Nations human rights experts declared on Tuesday that the United States' covert operations and threats of military action against Venezuela constitute violations of Venezuelan sovereignty and the UN Charter.

President Trump has launched a military campaign that he claims is intended to disrupt drug trafficking routes from Latin America to the United States.

Three independent UN rights experts stated, "These actions violate fundamental international obligations prohibiting intervention in domestic affairs and threats of armed force against another country."

They further warned that "these moves represent an extremely dangerous escalation with serious implications for peace and security throughout the Caribbean region."

Since September, US forces have targeted at least six vessels, primarily speedboats, in Caribbean waters. Washington has failed to provide evidence that the approximately 27 individuals killed in these operations were involved in drug smuggling activities.

The experts emphasized, "Even if such allegations were substantiated, using lethal force in international waters without proper legal basis violates international maritime law and constitutes extrajudicial executions."

They noted that groups like Tren de Aragua, which Trump has designated as a "terrorist" organization, are not actively attacking the United States, making it impossible for Washington to legitimately invoke "self-defense" rights under international law.

"Preparations for covert or direct military action against another sovereign State represent an even more serious breach of the UN Charter," stated the experts, who include special rapporteurs on extrajudicial executions and human rights protection in counter-terrorism operations.

Trump has acknowledged authorizing covert CIA operations targeting Venezuela, though he has not provided specific details about these activities.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused Washington of orchestrating efforts to remove him from power. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil welcomed the UN experts' assessment, stating on Telegram: "The experts confirm what we have been denouncing: the United States is manufacturing enemies to justify a supposed right to defense, resulting in massacres in the Caribbean Sea."