Venezuela‘s Concerns Over US actions Remain on the Sidelines at UN High-Level Week
As the UN high-level week approaches next Monday, Venezuela’s escalating tensions wiht the United States appear unlikely to take centre stage alongside crises in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. Despite a direct appeal from Venezuelan President Nicolás maduro to UN Secretary-General António Guterres for support in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the issue has not been prioritized by the UN General Secretariat.
Maduro‘s late August letter to Guterres explicitly requested a “public, active” defence against what Venezuela considers an “escalation of aggressions” initiated by Washington. this plea followed the deployment of US forces in Venezuelan jurisdictional waters, ostensibly to combat narcotics trafficking - a claim Venezuela disputes, citing a lack of evidence. Further fueling the crisis, the US military attacked a Venezuelan vessel on September 2nd, alleging its connection to the “Soles” criminal institution, purportedly linked to Venezuelan officials and the Aragua Train gang. Washington claims to have sunk three Venezuelan boats, with the initial attack resulting in eleven fatalities according to US reports.
Despite a meeting between Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada and Guterres to convey Venezuela’s perspective on the situation,the Secretary-General has offered limited response.He acknowledged lacking independent information regarding the boat attacks but reiterated the importance of respecting international law.This lack of engagement has resulted in minimal questioning of Guterres regarding his position on the escalating conflict.
The UN Security Council has also remained largely inactive, failing to convene a dedicated session to address the growing tensions in the Venezuelan Caribbean stemming from the US offensive.
Venezuela has formally lodged a complaint with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) regarding the “illegal interception” of a Venezuelan fishing boat by the US Navy. Meanwhile, the US, which is offering rewards of up to $50 million for information leading to the capture of maduro (accused of leading the Soles cartel), denies planning a ”regime change” in Caracas.
Venezuela is set to participate in the high-level week having recently signed a strategic partnership treaty with Russia. however,the nation appears to be lacking the anticipated international support in the face of these ongoing challenges. The Venezuelan delegation has yet to announce who will lead their representation at the summit, though Foreign Minister Yván Gil has fulfilled this role in recent years.
