Russia, China decry U.S. ‘cowboy’ tactics on Venezuela at UN Security Council; Washington defends moves
UNITED NATIONS — Russia and China sharply criticized the United States for military and economic pressure on Venezuela during an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting requested by Caracas, denouncing what they called “cowboy” conduct and “intimidation” as Washington defended its actions as necessary to protect the hemisphere.
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Backed by Moscow and Beijing, Venezuela accused the United States of waging an unlawful campaign to topple President Nicolas Maduro and seize the country’s oil wealth. The U.S. has deployed a major military presence in the Caribbean and intercepted oil tankers as part of what opponents describe as a naval blockade, targeting vessels Washington deems under sanctions.
“The acts by the U.S. side run counter to all key norms of international law,” said Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, calling the U.S. posture an “act of aggression.” He added that Washington bore responsibility for “catastrophic consequences of such cowboy-like conduct.”
China’s representative, Sun Lei, said Beijing “opposes all acts of unilateralism and bullying and supports all countries in defending their sovereignty and national dignity.”
Venezuela’s ambassador, Samuel Moncada, described the U.S. approach as an effort to force Venezuelans to “vacate our country and hand it over.” He called it “the greatest extortion known in our history.”
U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz pushed back, saying “the United States will do everything in its power to protect our hemisphere, our borders, and the American people.” He reiterated accusations first leveled by former President Donald Trump that Maduro is a fugitive wanted by U.S. authorities and the head of the foreign terrorist organization the “Cartel de los Soles.” Experts say there is no evidence of a structured group with that name and a defined hierarchy.
The U.S. government has offered a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest. Maduro is a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Since September, U.S. forces have launched dozens of airstrikes on boats that Washington alleges — without presenting evidence — were transporting drugs, delegates said. The strikes have killed more than 100 people, according to accounts presented at the meeting.
Caracas denies any role in drug trafficking and argues the United States is seeking regime change to gain control over Venezuela’s oil reserves, the largest in the world.
The council session highlighted a deepening geopolitical split over how to handle Venezuela, with Russia and China framing U.S. actions as violations of the U.N. Charter and the principle of noninterference, and the United States casting its posture as a regional security imperative. The clash unfolded as Venezuelan oil shipments face heightened interdiction and sanctions pressure, adding to a grinding economic crisis inside the country.
While the meeting produced no immediate resolution, it underscored escalating risks at sea and the potential for wider confrontation as major powers spar over sovereignty, sanctions and the use of force on the high seas. With tankers detained, military deployments expanding and competing legal claims hardening, council members left with a familiar stalemate: sharply divergent narratives and little sign of compromise.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
