Venezuela denounces illegal US military attack to the UN Secretary General

The representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations (UN), Ambassador Samuel Moncada, held a meeting this Wednesday, January 7, with the Secretary General of the multilateral entity, António Guterres, to formally denounce the illegal military attack perpetrated by the government of the United States (USA) against Venezuelan sovereignty, as well as the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and the first lady Cilia Flores.

Moncada explained that the attacks, which occurred on January 3, affected Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, and explained to the UN Secretary General that the operation included special forces and U.S. combat helicopters, leaving dozens of fatalities.

The Venezuelan diplomat denounced that these actions represent a “crime of aggression, an act of war and a crime against humanity” that violates the immunity of heads of state.

For his part, Guterres recognized the seriousness of the current situation and noted that the military incursion “represented a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and the norms of international law.”

He also reaffirmed that sovereignty over natural resources is exclusive to the country, stressing that “Venezuela's oil belongs to Venezuelans.”

Finally, the Bolivarian Government extended a formal invitation for Guterres or a special envoy to visit Venezuela, with the objective of verifying the damage to vital infrastructure and evaluating the state of political peace after the aggression.