Caracas has formally requested an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council, warning that Venezuela faces the possibility of an imminent “armed attack” by the United States. In a letter addressed to Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who chairs the council this month, Venezuela’s government — led by President Nicolás Maduro — asserted it has “proven, reasonable and objective information” indicating that U.S. military action against Venezuelan territory could unfold in the very near future.
The Venezuelan letter frames Washington’s ongoing military operations in the Caribbean Sea — including multiple strikes on vessels alleged to be trafficking narcotics — as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the Maduro administration under the pretext of combating drug cartels. Caracas charges that the “war on drugs” narrative is being used to mask underlying aims of regime change and control over Venezuelan resources.
U.S. sanctions and military deployments off Venezuela’s coast have escalated tensions throughout August and September. The Trump administration has classified certain drug trafficking groups as “terrorist organizations,” authorized naval deployments to the southern Caribbean, and defended strikes against vessels going to or from Venezuelan waters. In Parliament, the U.S. Congress recently declined to restrict presidential authority to use military force against traffickers, a decision Venezuela cites as lending impetus to its fears of escalation.
In its letter, Caracas points to three statements by President Trump it deems particularly worrisome: his U.N. General Assembly remarks suggesting force may be used to “blow up” Venezuelan traffickers, his congressional declaration that the U.S. is now in a “non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels, and comments indicating that ground searches might be launched for traffickers — which Venezuela contends could translate into incursions on its territory. The government warns that such steps would constitute violations of sovereignty with “far-reaching repercussions” for regional stability.
The U.N. Security Council has responded by scheduling an emergency session on Friday at Venezuela’s request, to examine recent U.S. military actions and assess whether Washington’s conduct represents a threat to international peace. Caracas publicly expressed that it “expects” an armed attack “in a very short time” unless intervention occurs.
