U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Michael Waltz to Security Council: U.S. is not at war with Venezuela

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz asserted Monday that the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela and the weekend military operation to remove Nicolas Maduro from power was legitimate, addressing an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.

Mr. Waltz confirmed that the Jan. 3 operation in which Mr. Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured was a “law enforcement operation” facilitated by the U.S. military.

“There is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country,” he said. “Maduro was not just an indicted drug trafficker. He was an illegitimate so-called president. He was not a head of state. For years, Maduro and his cronies have manipulated Venezuela’s electoral system to maintain their illegitimate grip on power.”

He added that the operation was “in furtherance of lawful indictments that have existed for decades.”

Mr. Waltz’s comments follow international condemnation from U.S. allies and rivals who say Mr. Maduro’s capture contradicts international law and threatens peace in the region.

Mr. Maduro’s capture comes at the heels of a massive U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean Sea, as well as dozens of deadly airstrikes on small boats that the Trump administration has alleged were carrying drugs into U.S. territory.

President Trump and his allies repeatedly warned Mr. Maduro that his days were numbered, and Mr. Trump even announced that he had authorized the CIA to operate covertly in Venezuela.

Venezuela’s U.N. representative urged the Security Council to reject Mr. Waltz’s assertions and look at the capture as an assault on the principles of the U.N. Charter.

“Jan. 3, 2026, is a date of profound significance, not only for Venezuela but for the international community as a whole. On that date, Venezuela was the target of an illegitimate armed attack, lacking any legal justification by the U.S.,” said Samuel Moncada, Venezuela’s representative at the Security Council. “Venezuela comes to this conference today with a deep conviction that international peace can only be maintained if international law is respected without exception.”

During the meeting, China’s permanent representative at the Security Council, Fu Cong, railed against what he called the “illegal and bullying acts” of the U.S. Chinese diplomats had visited Venezuela and met with Mr. Maduro just hours before his capture on Saturday.

“For some time now, the international community has repeatedly expressed great concern over the U.S. sanctions, blockade and use of force against Venezuela,” Mr. Fu said. “We urge the U.S. to heed the overwhelming voice of the international community, abide by international law and the purposes and principles of the U.N. charter.”

Russia, another ally of Venezuela, condemned the U.S. operation at the meeting, pointing to reports of civilian deaths as a result of the arrest.

“The assault on the leader of Venezuela, compounded by the deaths of dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban citizens, in the eyes of many has become a harbinger of the turn back to an era of lawlessness, with U.S. domination by force and chaos,” Russian representative Vassily Nebenzia told the council.