Overview
- The 15-member council meets at 10 a.m. in New York under the agenda "Threats to International Peace and Security," with Somalia holding the January presidency.
- U.S. special forces captured Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores on Saturday in strikes around Caracas; both are in federal custody in New York awaiting a court appearance on drug charges.
- Colombia requested the meeting with backing from Russia and China, and diplomats expect a divided council with any punitive action constrained by the U.S. veto.
- Venezuela’s UN envoy condemned a "colonial war" and alleged UN Charter violations, while Secretary-General António Guterres urged adherence to international law and called the operation a dangerous precedent.
- Washington cites Article 51 self-defense, and President Donald Trump said the U.S. would run Venezuela until a transition, while legal experts argue the cross-border seizure lacked consent or UN authorization and was unlawful.