UN Security Council members urge deescalation of tensions in Venezuela

UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council on Tuesday held an emergency meeting on the situation in Venezuela, at which the overwhelming majority of Security Council members called for respect for the UN Charter and restraint to avoid further escalation.

Samuel Moncada Acosta, Venezuela's permanent representative to the United Nations, warned that the US ambition does not stop at Venezuela.

"The ambition is continental. The US government has expressed this in its National Security Strategy, which states that the future of the continent belongs to it, with the enactment of the Monroe Doctrine in the 21st century now aggravated by the Trump Corollary," he said at the meeting requested by Venezuela.

"The United States, which was an indispensable country in the construction of the United Nations and in the drafting of its founding charter, has today become an actor that seeks to impose itself on the fundamental rights of all states in the Western Hemisphere," he said. "Today, it has become a state that threatens international law and peace and security."

"We firmly condemn the seizure of oil tankers by the US troops and the de facto imposition of a naval blockade on Venezuela," said Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia. "The actions by the US violate all key norms of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Security Council resolutions, and the Charter of the United Nations itself."

The illegal US blockade of Venezuela's coastline is a genuine act of aggression, he added, warning that these are not one-off acts by the United States vis-a-vis Venezuela.

"This is an unambiguous message to all countries of the region that are seeking to pursue a sovereign policy and are willing to independently shape their economic, political, and cultural systems," Nebenzia said. "Washington is ready to respect your independence and take your interests into account only until you accommodate the interests of the United States and conduct a policy that benefits it. As soon as you are tempted to do something for the benefit of your people, you will be treated the same way as Venezuela is being treated now."

Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, called on the United States to immediately stop its campaign against Venezuela.

The US actions and rhetoric have led to continued tensions in the region, raising serious concerns among regional countries and the international community, he said.

The US actions seriously infringe on other countries' sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights and interests, seriously violate the UN Charter and international law, and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean, he said.

As an independent sovereign state, Venezuela has the right to independently develop mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries and defend its legitimate rights and interests, which should be respected and supported by the international community, said Sun.

"China opposes all acts of unilateralism and bullying, and supports all countries in defending their sovereignty and national dignity. We stand against any move that violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and infringes on other countries' sovereignty and security," he said.

China calls on the United States to heed the just call of the international community, immediately halt such actions, and avoid further escalation of tensions.