Overview
- Experts and the UN chief say the operation breaches core UN Charter rules on the use of force, lacking Security Council authorization or a self-defense claim.
- China and Russia demanded explanations and criticized the action, Brazil condemned it, and Argentina’s Javier Milei endorsed the move, underscoring a divided regional response.
- Venezuela’s defense minister alleged U.S. forces fired missiles and rockets into residential areas in Caracas, with vehicles burned and casualties not yet confirmed.
- Opposition leader María Corina Machado urged recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate president and called on the armed forces to back him.
- U.S. officials have portrayed Maduro as linked to the ‘Cartel de los Soles,’ designated a narcoterrorist organization in 2025, while analysts warn the raid risks normalizing unilateral interventions.