U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz forcefully defended the Trump administration’s capture of Nicolás Maduro during an emergency Security Council session, rejecting claims of illegality and outlining allegations of narco-terrorism and regional destabilization.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz delivered a sharp defense of the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro during an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Monday, responding to criticism from Russia, China, and other members who accused the United States of violating international law and state sovereignty.
The meeting was convened following Maduro’s weekend capture by U.S. special forces and his transfer to New York to face federal narco-terrorism charges. The session was formally requested by Colombia, a non-permanent member of the Council for the 2026–2027 term, and supported by Russia and China, both of which objected to the U.S. action.
The Security Council is currently chaired by Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman, who assumed the role earlier this month.
In his remarks, Waltz emphasized that the United States is not at war with Venezuela and does not intend to occupy the country, characterizing the operation as a law-enforcement action carried out pursuant to longstanding criminal indictments. He compared the Maduro operation to the 1989 U.S. capture of former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, who was later tried and convicted in U.S. courts.
Waltz told Council members that Maduro does not qualify as a legitimate head of state, citing the disputed 2024 Venezuelan election and a United Nations panel of experts that concluded the vote failed to meet basic standards of transparency and integrity. He noted that more than 50 countries, including the United States, multiple Latin American nations, and members of the European Union, refused to recognize Maduro’s claimed reelection.
According to Waltz, Maduro led what he described as the Cartel de los Soles, a regime-backed narco-terror organization that coordinated with violent criminal groups such as Tren de Aragua. Waltz said Tren de Aragua has been designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization and accused its members of carrying out murders, kidnappings, extortion, and trafficking operations, including within the United States.
Waltz further stated that President Donald Trump formally declared in March 2025 that Tren de Aragua was conducting hostile actions against U.S. territory at the direction of the Maduro regime. He argued that these activities amounted to irregular warfare targeting American communities.
Turning to international reporting, Waltz cited findings from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s 2025 World Drug Report, which identified Venezuela as a major transit hub for cocaine shipments into the United States and Europe. He said those findings contradicted claims by Council members condemning the U.S. operation.
Waltz also detailed Maduro’s alleged ties to Hizballah, Iranian officials, Cuban intelligence operatives, and other actors, asserting that Venezuela had become a base of operations for U.S. adversaries while sitting atop the world’s largest proven oil reserves.
During his address, Waltz said the Trump administration had offered Maduro multiple opportunities to de-escalate but concluded that narcotics trafficking and regional destabilization continued unabated. He said the administration’s actions were taken under the president’s constitutional authority to protect Americans at home and abroad.
A full transcript of Waltz’s remarks was released by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and made available as a published record of the Security Council briefing.
Video of the session, including Waltz’s address to the Council, was also released publicly and circulated online as footage from the U.N. meeting.
Waltz concluded by stating that the United States seeks stability and a peaceful future for Venezuela and the Western Hemisphere, and that enforcement actions against narcotics trafficking and transnational criminal organizations would continue under the Trump administration.
Original article
Comments