Meeting of the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council discussed the growing tension between the United States and Venezuela in the Caribbean region Peace and Security
The UN is concerned about the growing confrontation between the United States and Venezuela following reports of an expansion of the US military presence off the coast of South America and calls on the parties to avoid any actions that could disrupt stability in the region. Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenča stated this, speaking on October 10 at the UN Security Council.
The emergency meeting was called at the request of Venezuela and was chaired by Russia, which heads the Security Council in October. an increase in the United States military presence has been recorded in the southern Caribbean, off the coast of Venezuela,” Jencsa said. According to US authorities, he continued, these deployments are aimed at “stopping the flow of drugs into the United States and bringing those responsible to justice.” countries.”
On August 29, the Permanent Representative of Venezuela met with the UN Secretary-General to express his government’s concerns about these actions. Later, in September, these concerns were confirmed by the Venezuelan Foreign Minister.
Series of Airstrikes and Deaths
Jencsa noted that “On September 2, the U.S. government announced that the U.S. military had struck a vessel suspected of transporting illegal drugs in the international waters of the Southern Caribbean.” According to US authorities, 11 people were killed in the attack. In total, these operations reportedly resulted in 21 deaths.
“The United Nations is not in a position to confirm this information,” Jencsa stressed.
On October 2, a White House spokesman said that “the President acted consistent with the laws of armed conflict” in seeking to protect the United States “from those who seek to bring deadly poison to our shores,” as part of “the president’s promises to end the cartels and eliminate these threats to national security.”
Caracas’ reaction
Encha said Venezuelan authorities have been on high alert since August. “They also publicly stated that they do not seek military action, but are ready to defend the sovereignty of the country,” he noted.
On August 18, President Nicolas Maduro announced the mobilization of 4.5 million members of the Bolivarian Militia, a civilian force with military training, to support the armed forces. In addition, military exercises involving warships, aircraft and drones were launched “to strengthen defense and sovereignty.”
On September 4, two Venezuelan military aircraft flew over a US military vessel in international waters, according to the US, in what Washington viewed as a “highly provocative” action. On September 13, Caracas said that a US vessel had detained a Venezuelan fishing boat for eight hours.
On September 29, President Maduro signed a decree declaring a state of emergency, giving the head of state expanded security powers “in the event of external aggression.” The details of this decree, as Jencsa added, have not been made public.
On October 2, Venezuelan authorities said they had spotted five US fighter jets 75 kilometers off the coast, calling the flights a “provocation,” a “threat to national security,” and a “danger to civil aviation.”
“Venezuelan authorities strongly condemned the strikes, which President Maduro called “a violation of international law,” and called for an international investigation,” Jencsa said. In a letter to the Security Council dated October 9, the Permanent Representative of Venezuela stated that “the hidden purpose of the US actions is to advance the policy of regime change.”
Call for de-escalation
“As of August 21, the Secretary-General, through his representative calls on both sides to reduce tensions, exercise restraint and resolve differences through peaceful means,” the rapporteur said.
He stressed that “it is necessary for Member States to ensure that their actions against drug trafficking comply with international law, including the Charter UN”.
The UN Secretary General recognizes the threat posed by transnational criminal groups. He calls on the international community to strengthen cooperation to combat this phenomenon. person.
“We continue to emphasize the need for all efforts to combat transnational organized crime to be carried out in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter. We once again call for de-escalation and propose to avoid any actions that may threaten international peace and security in the region,” Jencsa emphasized. “The United Nations remains ready to support any efforts in this direction,” he concluded. Venezuela “has been subject to unprecedented pressure and the threat of military invasion for several months now.” he.
Noting that destroyers, battleships and a nuclear submarine had been deployed to the shores of Venezuela, Nebenzya stated: “You and I today are dealing with a brazen campaign of exerting political, military and psychological pressure on the government of an independent state with the sole purpose of changing regime undesirable to the United States.”
He condemned the “strikes inflicted on civilian courts” and said that Washington was “deliberately… ignoring the calls of the Venezuelan leader to jointly fight drug trafficking.” Russia.
China: US actions infringe on the sovereignty of other countries
“Under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking, the United States stationed its troops in the waters of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela,” the ambassador said China at the UN Fu Kong. The US even seized Venezuelan fishing vessels, which “led to continued tension in the region,” he noted.
Unilateral and disproportionate force operations against ships of other countries, Fu Cong said, “infringe on the right of the persons concerned to life and other fundamental human rights” and “pose a threat to the freedom and safety of navigation.” security. drug trafficking and drug cartels” bringing drugs into the United States, and that the administration is determined to use its full power to “destroy these cartels.”
The United States will not tolerate an influx of cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs imported from Venezuela and other countries and “killing Americans,” Kelly said.
Noting that the government has designated the Tran de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles cartels as terrorist groups, he said their actions constituted an armed attack on the United States States.
“The United States has reached a critical point where we must use force in self-defense and the defense of others,” Kelly said. According to him, although the scale of attacks is still limited, Washington is ready to conduct additional military operations as necessary. The diplomat added that his country does not recognize President Maduro “or his cronies” as the legitimate government of Venezuela.
Material being updated…