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STORY: UN / VENEZUELA UNITED STATES
TRT: 08:30
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / SPANISH / RUSSIAN / NATS
DATELINE: 05 JANUARY 2026, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Aerial shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
05 JANUARY 2026, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, United States Ambassador Michael Waltz
4. Med shot, Venezuela Ambassador Samuel Moncada
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rosemary A. DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, United Nations:
“In situations as confused, as complex as the one we now face, it is important to stick to principles. Respect for the UN charter and all other applicable legal frameworks to safeguard peace and security; respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states; the prohibition of the threat or use of force. The power of the law must prevail. International law contains tools to address issues such as illicit traffic and narcotics, disputes about resources and human rights concerns. This is the route we need to take.”
6. Wide shot, Council, Jeffrey Sachs on screen
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Sachs, President, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and
Director, Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University:
“In the past month, President Trump has issued direct threats against six UN member states, including Colombia, Denmark, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria and of course, Venezuela. Members of the Council are not called upon to judge Nicolas Maduro. They are not called upon to assess whether the recent US attack and ongoing naval quarantine results in freedom or in subjugation. Members of the Council are called upon to defend international law and specifically the UN charter.”
8. Wide shot, Council, Mercedes De Freitas on screen
9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Mercedes De Freitas, Founder and Executive Director, Transparencia Venezuela:
“We need a transparent state that is accountable, that will guarantee the rule of law and human rights, that will protect public goods for everyone without privilege, a system that is autonomous and independent. We need investment in building capacity that will enable us to have a dignified life. We must respect the will of the Venezuelan people to live in peace and democracy. And finally, and request to you. Freedom for all political prisoners.”
10. Wide shot, Colombian Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres addressing Council
11. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Leonor Zalabata Torres, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Colombia: “These actions remind us of the worst interference in Latin American and the Caribbean politics and are a threat to our region as a zone of peace, to the commitment to resolve our differences peacefully through dialogue and negotiation or other forms of peaceful settlement in full accordance with international law and with its instruments to which we have subscribed at the hemispheric and regional levels, such as the charter of the Organisation of American States.”
12. Wide shot, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia addressing Council
13. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“There is no and can be no justification for the crimes cynically perpetrated by the United States in Caracas. We firmly condemn the US act of armed aggression against Venezuela, in breach of all international legal norms, in connection with the confirmed reports about the presence of the abducted President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and his spouse in the United States. Today, as we are aware, they are in New York. We call upon the US leadership to immediately release the legitimately elected president of an independent state and his spouse.”
14. Wide shot, Council
15. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Vassily Nebenzia, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“We are particularly appalled by the unparalleled cynicism with which a Washington did not even attempt to conceal the true aims of its criminal operation, namely, the establishment of unbridled control over Venezuela's natural resources and the assertion of their hegemonic ambitions in Latin America’s legitimate rights and interests.”
16. Wide shot, Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Waltz, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“The United States successfully carried out a surgical law enforcement operation facilitated by the US military against two indicted fugitives of American justice, narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro and Celia Flores.”
18. Med shot, Moncada
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Waltz, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“There is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country. This was a law enforcement operation in furtherance of lawful indictments that have existed for decades. The United States arrested a narco-traffickers who is now going to stand trial in the United States in accordance with the rule of law for the crimes he's committed against our people for 15 years.”
20. Med shot, Waltz addressing Council
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Waltz, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“This is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live. And we're not going to allow the Western Hemisphere to be used as a base of operation for our nation's adversaries and competitors and rivals of the United States. You can't turn Venezuela into the operating hub for Iran, for Hezbollah, for gangs, for Cuban intelligence agents, and other malign actors that control that country. You cannot continue to have the largest energy reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the United States, under the control of illegitimate leaders, and not benefiting the people of Venezuela, and stolen by a handful of oligarchs inside of Venezuela.”
22. Pan right, Council
23. Med shot, Moncada addressing Council
24. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Samuel Moncada, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Venezuela:
“Of particular gravity is the kidnapping of the President of the Republic by the government of the United States of America, which constitutes a direct violation of an essential norm of the international legal order, namely, the personal immunity of heads of state in office. This immunity is not an individual privilege. It is an institutional guarantee that protects the sovereignty of states and the stability of the international system. Its disregard not only affects Venezuela. But also sets an extremely dangerous precedent for all states represented in this chamber, regardless of their size, power, or alliance.”
25. Med shot, Moncada addressing Council
26. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Samuel Moncada, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Venezuela:
“Venezuela is the victim of these attacks because of its natural resources, our country's oil, energy, strategic resources and geopolitical position have historically been factors of greed and external pressure. When force is used to control resources, impose governments or redesign states, we are faced with a logic that harks back to the worst practices of colonialism, and neo colonialism.”
27. Med shot, Moncada addressing Council
28. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Samuel Moncada, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Venezuela:
“We request today that the government of the United States of America be demanded to fully respect the immune immunities of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, as well as their immediate release and safe return to Venezuela. Second, the use of force against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela must be clearly and unequivocally condemned. Thirdly, that the principle of non-acquisition of territory or resources by force be reaffirmed, and fourth, that measures aimed at de-escalation, the protection of the civilian population and the restoration of international law be adopted.”
29. Wide shot, end of Council session
Venezuela’s Ambassador Samuel Moncada today (5 Jan) told the Security Council that “Venezuela is the victim of these attacks because of its natural resources,” which have “historically been factors of greed and external pressure.” United States Ambassador Michael Waltz for his part said, “you cannot continue to have the largest energy reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the United States.
The Council met in an emergency session to address the US rendition of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, a move that has sent shockwaves through the region and beyond.
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, delivering a statement on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres, called for “respect for the UN charter and all other applicable legal frameworks to safeguard peace and security; respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states,” and “the prohibition of the threat or use of force.”
DiCarlo said, “the power of the law must prevail. International law contains tools to address issues such as illicit traffic and narcotics, disputes about resources and human rights concerns. This is the route we need to take.”
The President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Jeffrey Sachs noted that “in the past month, President Trump has issued direct threats against six UN member states, including Colombia, Denmark, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria and of course, Venezuela,” and said, “members of the Council are not called upon to judge Nicolas Maduro. They are not called upon to assess whether the recent US attack and ongoing naval quarantine results in freedom or in subjugation. Members of the Council are called upon to defend international law and specifically the UN charter.”
Mercedes De Freitas, the Executive Director of Transparencia Venezuela - a civil society group based outside Venezuela – said, “we need a transparent state that is accountable, that will guarantee the rule of law and human rights, that will protect public goods for everyone without privilege, a system that is autonomous and independent. We need investment in building capacity that will enable us to have a dignified life. We must respect the will of the Venezuelan people to live in peace and democracy. And finally, and request to you. Freedom for all political prisoners.”
Colombian Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres said, “these actions remind us of the worst interference in Latin American and the Caribbean politics and are a threat to our region as a zone of peace.”
Colombia, backed by China and the Russian Federation, requested the meeting.
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said, “there is no and can be no justification for the crimes cynically perpetrated by the United States in Caracas,” and called upon the US leadership “to immediately release the legitimately elected president of an independent state and his spouse.”
Nebenzia said, “we are particularly appalled by the unparalleled cynicism with which a Washington did not even attempt to conceal the true aims of its criminal operation, namely, the establishment of unbridled control over Venezuela's natural resources and the assertion of their hegemonic ambitions in Latin America’s legitimate rights and interests.”
Waltz, in his address to the Council said the US, “successfully carried out a surgical law enforcement operation facilitated by the US military against two indicted fugitives of American justice, narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro and Celia Flores.”
He stressed that “there is no war against Venezuela or its people. We are not occupying a country,” and said, “this was a law enforcement operation in furtherance of lawful indictments that have existed for decades.”
The US Ambassador said, “this is the Western Hemisphere. This is where we live. And we're not going to allow the Western Hemisphere to be used as a base of operation for our nation's adversaries and competitors and rivals of the United States. You can't turn Venezuela into the operating hub for Iran, for Hezbollah, for gangs, for Cuban intelligence agents, and other malign actors that control that country. You cannot continue to have the largest energy reserves in the world under the control of adversaries of the United States, under the control of illegitimate leaders, and not benefiting the people of Venezuela, and stolen by a handful of oligarchs inside of Venezuela.”
Moncada said, “the kidnapping of the President of the Republic by the government of the United States of America,” constitutes “a direct violation of an essential norm of the international legal order, namely, the personal immunity of heads of state in office,” adding that disregard for these norms “not only affects Venezuela. But also sets an extremely dangerous precedent for all states represented in this chamber, regardless of their size, power, or alliance.”
The Venezuelan Ambassador said, “when force is used to control resources, impose governments or redesign states, we are faced with a logic that harks back to the worst practices of colonialism, and neo colonialism.”
He said, “we request today that the government of the United States of America be demanded to fully respect the immune immunities of President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, as well as their immediate release and safe return to Venezuela. Second, the use of force against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela must be clearly and unequivocally condemned. Thirdly, that the principle of non-acquisition of territory or resources by force be reaffirmed, and fourth, that measures aimed at de-escalation, the protection of the civilian population and the restoration of international law be adopted.”
The US operation began with overnight strikes in and around the capital, Caracas. Venezuela has declared a state of national emergency, with casualty figures and the extent of the damage yet to be confirmed.
