January 5, 2026 | 08:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The United Nations will debate the legality of the capture of President Nicolas Maduro on Monday, January 5, 2026. Despite the controversy, Washington is unlikely to face harsh criticism from its close allies.
The 15-member UN Security Council called the meeting after US Special Forces seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, early Saturday morning. The operation targeted military sites and caused widespread power outages across Caracas.
Venezuelan authorities reported that the military strike resulted in at least 80 deaths, including 32 security guards from Cuba. Maduro and his wife are currently in New York, waiting for a federal court hearing on drug charges scheduled for Monday.
Russia and China have joined other Venezuelan allies in accusing the United States of breaking international law. In contrast, US allies have remained quiet about the use of military force. Many of these nations oppose Maduro and seem hesitant to condemn the operation.
"Judging by the reactions from European leaders to date, I suspect that US allies will equivocate exquisitely in the Security Council," said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group, a think-tank organization, as reported by Al Arabiya.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the US mission "a dangerous precedent." His spokesperson stated that the rules of international law were not respected. While many legal experts agree that the action was illegal, the US can use its veto power to stop any official UN punishment.
Washington Claims Self-Defense
European nations have mostly called for respect of international law without naming the US directly. However, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that the US violated the principle of "not resorting to force." This principle is a core part of the UN Charter, which protects the independence of all 193 member states.
US Ambassador Mike Waltz defended the raid by citing Article 51 of the UN Charter. This article allows nations to use force for "self-defense" during an armed attack.
"In this case, you have a drug kingpin, an illegitimate leader indicted in the United States, coordinating with the likes of China, Russia, Iran, terrorist groups like Hezbollah, pumping drugs, thugs, and weapons into the United States of America, threatening to invade its neighbors," Waltz told Fox News. He claimed Maduro was working with terrorist groups and threatening the United States.
However, many legal scholars disagree with this reasoning. Tom Dannenbaum, a professor at Stanford Law School, said that objections to Maduro do not give the US a legal right to invade. He argued that the US still needs a solid legal basis to use military force on foreign soil.
US Veto Power
The UN Security Council is responsible for world peace, but it cannot easily hold Washington accountable. The US holds veto power alongside Russia, China, the UK, and France. This power allows the US to block any resolution that labels the capture as a crime.
The US first charged Maduro with narco-terrorism in 2020. Maduro has always denied these claims. Legal experts, like Professor Milena Sterio, argue that drug smuggling does not count as an "armed attack." Therefore, the US cannot legally use "self-defense" as an excuse for the kidnapping.
Professor Adil Haque from Rutgers Law School also weighed in on the situation. He stated that the arrest violates the immunity of a sitting head of state. Even if his legitimacy is questioned, Maduro was still performing official duties for his country at the time of the capture.
Read: Venezuela's Interim President Urges US Cooperation
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