U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz on Monday defended Washington’s decision to abduct former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
“There is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country. This was a law enforcement operation in furtherance of lawful indictments that have existed for decades,” Waltz said during a speech to the U.N. Security Council.
His remarks came after the body scheduled an emergency meeting in response to Maduro’s ouster as president of Venezuela by the Trump administration over the weekend. President Donald Trump said the United States is “running” Venezuela after special forces captured Maduro and sent him to stand trial in New York during the lightning military operation, prompting sweeping controversy over whether Washington violated federal and international laws regarding war powers and national sovereignty.
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Waltz this week sought to counter criticism that the operation constituted a war on Venezuela and blatant regime change. Similar to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, he attempted to frame it in narrower terms, arguing the “surgical” operation made a singular arrest that targeted an illegitimate leader with outstanding indictments on narco-terrorism charges.
“Maduro is not just an indicted drug trafficker; he was an illegitimate so-called president. He was not a head of state,” Trump’s U.N. ambassador said.
“Over 50 countries rejected the legitimacy of Maduro’s reelection following the disputed 2024 elections and do not recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimately elected president. Maduro unlawfully refused to peacefully cede power after the Venezuelan people voted him out of office in the 2024 election,” Waltz continued. “So, therefore, Maduro was a fugitive from justice.”
China strongly condemned Trump’s move to topple the Venezuelan government as a “bullying” act.
“Venezuela is an independent sovereign state with every right to defend its sovereignty and national dignity. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are important forces in maintaining world peace and stability and promoting global development and prosperity, and they have every right to independently choose their development paths and partners,” Ambassador Sun Lei said during the Security Council’s meeting.
“China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the unilateral, illegal, and bullying acts by the United States,” he added.
China was not alone in condemning the U.S. at the meeting. Russia, Colombia, and others have joined more than half of the Security Council’s 15-member body in denouncing the Trump administration.
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzy called on the panel to “unite and to definitively reject the methods and tools of U.S. military foreign policy.” Venezuelan Ambassador Samuel Moncada said Maduro’s ouster sent the message that “the law is optional.” Colombian Ambassador Leonor Zalabata, whose country requested the meeting, said the raid in Venezuela was reminiscent of “the worst interference in our area in the past.”
The Security Council likely holds limited ability to condemn Trump’s action in Venezuela, given that France and Great Britain have signaled they will not vote to denounce the U.S. for toppling Maduro. The council typically requires nine affirmative votes out of 15, including the “concurring votes” of all five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. — on such matters.
Waltz on Monday emphasized that Venezuela’s massive energy reserves must not be under the control “of illegitimate leaders” and “a handful of oligarchs,” as Venezuela is known to hold the largest oil reserves of any country in the world.
Some observers believe Washington’s latest action to topple Maduro could be part of a much broader agenda seeking to block efforts from China to manipulate elections and other matters, as they believe Beijing is using Venezuela as a key operating base in the Western Hemisphere.
In recent years, the Venezuelan government has captured attention due to accusations from Trump’s circle that it bears some responsibility for the outcome of the 2020 election. Former Colorado election clerk Tina Peters is among those who have claimed that Venezuelan election-manipulation Dominion software stole the election from Trump and handed the victory to former President Joe Biden five years ago. X owner Elon Musk has also voiced concerns about the Dominion voting machines.
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Waltz told critics and allies that Trump had given Maduro several chances to change course before moving to oust the fallen president.
“Trump gave diplomacy a chance. He offered Maduro multiple off-ramps. He tried to de-escalate,” Waltz said. “Maduro refused to take them. President Trump made it clear that the narco-terrorism must stop, and yet it continued.”
