Pakistan has voiced strong opposition to ‘unilateral military action’ in Venezuela, implicitly rebuking the United States for its recent strikes and the dramatic capture of President Nicolás Maduro.

Speaking at the emergency session of the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, warned that such actions “contravene sacrosanct principles” of the UN Charter and threaten to erode the foundations of international law.

In his remarks, Jadoon said Pakistan viewed “the recent developments in Venezuela with profound concern”, cautioning that escalating tensions in the Caribbean “do not augur well for regional and international peace and security”.

Without naming the United States directly, the envoy said the UN Charter forbids “the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state” and binds member countries to respect “sovereign equality and non-interference.”

“Unilateral military action contravenes these sacrosanct principles and the doctrine of sovereign immunity. Such actions set dangerous precedents that risk eroding the foundations of the global legal framework,” Jadoon told the Council.

An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council was held following the US-led operation that struck key Venezuelan military and infrastructure sites, leading to the capture of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Both have since been flown to the United States, where they face drug trafficking charges — a move many nations, including Russia, China, and several Latin American states, have condemned as a violation of sovereignty.

Jadoon urged all sides to “exercise maximum restraint” and to pursue dialogue and diplomacy. “Durable solutions to political differences can only be found through peaceful means, with full respect for the will of the Venezuelan people, free from any external interference,” he said, adding that peace and stability of Venezuela and the welfare and prosperity of its people, with full ownership, must be the overriding objective of all efforts.