The 10,080th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is: Threats to International Peace and Security. The agenda is adopted. In accordance with Rule 37 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite the representatives of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations to participate in this meeting, it is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item 2 of the agenda. I would like to remind everyone that this is an official meeting of the UN Security Council. Being fully aware that today's briefing is not an easy one for anyone in the room, I would like to particularly remind all participants and speakers at today's discussion to engage in this meeting with utmost respect and to observe appropriate standards of tone, wording and content in their remarks. I now give the floor to Mr. Khaled Khiari.

Thank you, Mr. President. Excellencies, the United States military presence and operations in the southern Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela have increased since this Council last discussed the situation on 10 October, further heightening tensions between the two countries. The United States described its military deployment as part of a quote, non-international armed conflict, against drug cartels and drug trafficking, and working article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. President Donald Trump has stated that he is going to use the full power of the United States to take on and eradicate these drug cartels, no matter where they are operating from. The Venezuelan government including its permanent representative, has described the measures by the United States as a serious threat to international peace and security. Most recently, in a letter dated 16 December and addressed to the President of the Security Council, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela asserted that the United States is violating the principle prohibiting the threat or use of force in international relations. Mr. President, US strikes on vessels alleged to be illegally carrying drugs in the southern Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific have continued. According to United States authorities, 105 individuals have been killed in these strikes since 2 September. Officials have stated that the strikes have taken place in international waters or in the Southcom area of responsibility. The exact locations of these incidents have not been disclosed. In a statement on 31 October, the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the airstrikes by the United States of America on both in the Caribbean and the Pacific allegedly linked to drug trafficking violate international human rights law. The High Commissioner added that countering illicit trafficking of drugs across international borders is, as has long been agreed among States, a law enforcement matter governed by the careful limits on lethal forces set out in international human rights law. He called for prompt, independent and transparent investigations. Mr. President, in late November, President Nicolas Maduro and President Trump held a telephone conversation. On 24 November, the United States designation of the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization came into force under U.S. law. Subsequently, the United States imposed additional measures against organizations and individuals it alleges are linked to these activities. On 29 November, President Trump declared that the airspace above and around Venezuela should be considered closed in its entirety. This followed an alert issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration a few days earlier, warning major airlines of a potentially hazardous situation when flying over Venezuela. Since then, most international airlines have suspended or canceled flights to and from the country. Venezuelan authorities have described this as an attempt to impose an air blockade. The International Civil Aviation Organization issued a statement on 1 December recalling that, and I quote, Article 1 of the 1944 Convention of International Civil Aviation recognizes that every state has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory, end of quote. The statement further noted, and I quote, any state can issue any information to its own operators regarding risks for flights over or in proximity of any geographic zones, including of another state. On 10 December, tensions increased further when President Trump announced that the United States had seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, stating that the government of Venezuela was using oil to finance criminal activities. He also declared that, and I quote, the Venezuelan regime has been designated a foreign terrorist organization under United States law and ordered the total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going into and out of Venezuela. End of quote. Subsequently, the United States authorized authorities imposed sanctions on six shipping companies operating in Venezuela's oil sector and six vessels allegedly associated with these companies, which the U.S. claims have engaged in deceptive and unsafe shipping practices. Venezuelan authorities described these actions as a unilateral naval blockade in identical letters dated 17 December and addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council. The Permanent Representative of Venezuela stated that the US actions violate Venezuela's national sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence. The latter further asserted that the naval blockade imposed unilaterally constitutes a violation of international law. In recent days, reports indicate that the Venezuelan Navy has been escorting ships departing its ports with petroleum products. On 20 December, the United States interdicted another tanker off the coast of Venezuela that was transporting oil from Venezuela. According to United States announcements, the vessel was suspected of carrying oil subject to sanctions under U.S. laws. On 20 December, U.S. Coast Guard pursued the third oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. Reportedly, the ship did not submit to boarding during the attempted interdiction and continued sailing away from the Caribbean Sea. U.S. actions have received support from some regional allies, but other member states within and beyond the region have voiced concern over the militarization of the southern Caribbean and stressed the importance of respecting national sovereignty and international law. Several Member States have called for de-escalation and dialogue to address ongoing tensions. Mr. President, Excellencies, in September, citing external threats, President Maduro enacted a decree expanding the Government's emergency powers. Public life has become further militarized, while Venezuelans continue to face serious human rights concerns and socioeconomic challenges. The UN Human Rights Office reported coerced enlistment into the Bolivarian militia, including adolescents and older persons. The High Commissioner has also reported on sweeping restrictions on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, as well as acute social and economic strain. He called for an immediate end of enforced disappearances, incommunicado detention and unauthorized transfers of detainees to unknown locations. The High Commissioner further reiterated the disproportionate impact of broad sectoral sanctions on Venezuela's most vulnerable populations, noting that these measures also hinder the work of human rights and humanitarian organizations. Venezuela's economy was already extremely fragile, with soaring inflation, currency instability and widespread income erosion. Millions are unable to meet basic needs. Recent air and maritime restrictions, along with reduced exports, risk further constraining the government's fiscal ability to deliver basic public services. As the humanitarian situation deteriorates, the United Nations and its partners continue to work and deliver assistance in support of the Venezuelan people, including through recent financial allocations of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund and the Venezuelan Humanitarian Fund. Mr. President, on 17 December, at his request, President Maduro held a telephone conversation with the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General reaffirmed the United Nations' position on the need for member states to respect international law, particularly the United Nations Charter, exercise restraint and de-escalate tensions to preserve regional stability. The Secretary-General stands ready to support all efforts at diplomatic engagement, including the exercise of his good offices if both parties so request it. He welcomes initiatives by Member States, offers for mediation and proposals for peaceful solutions. Dialogue is the only viable path toward lasting peace and preventing further instability and human suffering. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Mr. Khiari for his briefing. I now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements. I give the floor to the representative of the Russian Federation.

Mr. President, we wish to thank Khalid Khiari for his briefing. For several months now, the entire world has had the opportunity to observe the way that the United States has been continuing to deliberately foment tensions around the friendly nation of Venezuela under the pretext of combating drug trafficking and the terrorist threat, legally destroying at the same time the civilian vessels in the Caribbean Sea. We, during the previous Security Council meeting, we all had an opportunity to see the fact that this artificial smoke screen is concealing the goal of U.S. military groups being shored up and the delivery of the exertion of exerting tension on an independent state whose policy is not to the liking of Washington. It seems that the White House decided to remove from the mothballs the previously embraced practice of portraying combating terrorism as justification for belated aggression and intervention in the affairs of sovereign states. And this time, the so-called Foreign Terrorist Organization has been labeled as being the legitimate government of the Bolivarian Republic. Their attempts to convince us all of the mendacious view that decision of the U.S. authorities alone is enough in order to transform a sovereign state into a criminal enterprise any acts of force against which can now be called a law enforcement operation and the defense of national interests. We see no point in delving on the absurd nature of the U.S. pseudo-legal methods given how they-- just how significantly they fly in the face of international law and are inconsistent, especially given that in Washington themselves have sincerely recognized this. The statement of the U.S. President on the 16th of December does not need any additional interpretation. This is a direct claim on the natural wealth and the soil of another state and an open, if not to state, flagrant bringing to bear of military, political, and economic pressure with the aim of changing an inconvenient regime. The United States is already assuring up their practices with attacks with open piracy with the aim of seizing sovereign natural resources, which we all saw compellingly taking place in recent weeks. We firmly condemn the seizure by U.S. troops of petroleum tankers and the effective imposition of blockade on Venezuela. The acts by the U.S. side run counter to all key norms of international law, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, Security Council resolutions, and the Charter itself of the United Nations. Colleagues, the illegal U.S. blockade on the coast of Venezuela is the most clear and absolutely real act of aggression. And the responsibility of Washington is also evident for the catastrophic consequences of such cowboy-like conduct for the residents of the country which is now blockaded. Unfortunately, we have every reason to believe that these are not one-off acts by the U.S. visa, this intervention, which is unfolding, can become a template for future acts of force against Latin American states in accordance with the so-called Trump corollary and the Monroe Doctrine, which was enshrined in the recently published U.S. National Security Policy. And this is a clear message for all countries in the region who are striving to conduct a sovereign policy and to independently determine their own economic, political, and cultural system. In Washington, they are ready to respect your independence and take your interest into account only if you are willing to tailor them to the interests of the United States and to conduct a policy which is convenient to and beneficial to them. As soon as you attempt to try to benefit your own people, then you would be treated the same way that Venezuela is being treated. So don't ask for whom the bell tolls. The bell tolls for you. We reaffirm our solidarity with the Venezuelan people as they face the trials before them. We support the policy of the government of Mr. Maduro, which is geared towards the protection of the national interests and sovereignty of the homeland. We believe that all of those for whom international law is not mere noise have an obligation to stand with Venezuela. We note that Caracas has consistently demonstrated a willingness to engage in dialogue, to cooperate with Washington, both in terms of effectively coordinating acts for countering narcotics trafficking, as well as to combat real, not imagined, terrorism. By all accounts, support for a peaceful means of settling dispute and multilateral cooperation in these areas are something which are being advocated by all countries in region, and yet, for some reason, Washington, for Washington, this is falling on deaf ears, and they are obstinately embracing their policy of destruction, which is fraught with grave consequences for the region and the world as a whole. We regret the fact that the new U.S. administration, which has been sober and pragmatic in its approach when it comes to other crisis situations, when it comes to Venezuela, it remains mired in approaches which itself actively criticizes. We trust that common sense will indeed prevail and that Washington will manage in time to halt to prevent a fatal error which inevitably will undermine long-term U.S. national interests. The full-fledged armed conflict in Latin America, which remains for now a zone of peace, is the last thing that humankind needs right now humankind to whom President Trump promised an end to conflict. For now, unfortunately, the situation is not improving, and the United States, alas, continues to sow chaos in the Western Hemisphere, largely annihilating the benefits of the initiatives undertaken by the new U.S. leader and casting doubt on his sincere intentions in the global context. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the Russian Federation for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of China.

President, China appreciates the Slovenia Presidency for convening this emergency meeting requested by Venezuela and supported by Russia, China and other countries. We thank ASG Khiari for his briefing. For some time now, under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, the United States have continued to increase its military deployment in the waters of the Caribbean off the coast of Venezuela. It has escalated sanctions, blockades and military threats against Venezuela and claimed to have sunk Venezuelan vessels, shot dead crew members and seized oil tankers. It has designated the Venezuelan government as a foreign terrorist organization, claimed that Venezuela's territory, oil and assets belong to the United States, and even threatened military strikes against the Venezuelan territory. The U.S. actions and rhetoric have led to continued tensions in the region, raising serious concerns among regional countries and the international community. The UN Charter establishes fundamental principles governing international relations, including sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, and peaceful settlement of disputes. They constitute the cornerstone of international rule of law and are crucial for maintaining world peace and security. The U.S. actions seriously infringe upon other countries' sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights and interests, gravely violate the UN Charter and international law and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean. More and more countries in the region and beyond have voiced grave concern about and strong condemnation of the U.S. actions. We note that Secretary-General Guterres has clearly stated the need for all countries to respect international law and the UN Charter, exercise restraint and de-escalate tensions to preserve regional stability, and his readiness to play a mediation role to this end. China attaches importance to President Maduro's recent open letter. 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. 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 the infringements upon other countries' sovereignty and security, against the threat or use of force in international relations, against external interference in Venezuela's internal affairs under any pretext, and against illicit unilateral sanctions and a long arm jurisdiction that have no basis in international law or authorization by the Security Council. We call on the United States to heed the just call of the international community, immediately halt relevant actions, and avoid further escalation of tensions. We urge the United States to uphold the navigation safety of regional countries and the freedom and rights they enjoy under international law, to conduct normal law enforcement and judicial cooperation under bilateral and multilateral legal frameworks, to lift illicit unilateral sanctions, and to do more to promote peace, stability and development in Latin America and the Caribbean. President, Latin America and the Caribbean constitute an important part of the global south and are a vital force in maintaining world peace and stability and promoting global development and prosperity. China recently released its third policy paper on Latin America and the Caribbean, in which it reaffirms its support for the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace and the declaration of member states of the agency for the prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean. This fully demonstrates the high importance attached to and support for the region. China stands ready to work with countries in the region to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, uphold fairness and justice, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean. Thank you, President.

I thank the representative of China for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of the United States.

Thank you, Mr. President. Let me begin by stating and reiterating the United States does not recognize Nicolas Maduro or his cronies as the legitimate government of Venezuela. Nicolás Maduro is a fugitive from American justice and the head of the foreign terrorist organization Cartel de los Soles. In fact, Maduro and his regime stole the election and the international community has the receipts. President Trump has been very clear that he is going to use the full power of the United States of America, the full might of the United States, to take on and eradicate these drug cartels which have operated with impunity in our hemisphere for far too long and everyone knows it. The single most serious threat to this hemisphere, our very own neighborhood, and the United States, is from transnational terrorists and criminal groups. These cartels are not like the mafia. These cartels are sophisticated, very technically capable, well-financed, and are wreaking havoc in our region. In its own 2025 World Drug Report, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime identified Venezuela as the key trafficking route in the entire Western Hemisphere for illegal drugs and for illegal narcotics and materials entering the United States and increasingly Europe. The United States will impose and enforce sanctions to the maximum extent to deprive Maduro of the resources he uses to fund Cartel de los Soles, which the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization along with Trande Aragua. Important to this council meeting today, this includes profits from the sale of oil used to finance these cartels. The reality of the situation is that sanctioned oil tankers operate as the primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime. The sanctioned tankers also fund the narco-terrorist group Cartel de Los Soles. Maduro is responsible for trafficking, using these resources and using these profits into both the United States and Europe. And one has to ask, why have sanctions either bilaterally, unilaterally, or backed by the international community if they're not enforced? Well, the United States under President Trump is enforcing them in international waters. Otherwise, they are just empty words. Further, not only does Maduro's illegitimate regime openly cooperate and fund terrorist and criminal organizations, but it invites terrorist groups like Hezbollah, like the Iranian regime, militias like the ELN and FARC dissidents to operate openly within their territory, unimpeded and unencumbered. Maduro's ability to sell Venezuela's oil enables his fraudulent claim to power and his narco-terrorist activities. The people of Venezuela, frankly, deserve better. These people who have suffered under Maduro's socialist dictatorship. It is the action and policies of the illegitimate Maduro regime that pose an extraordinary threat to our hemisphere's peace, and stability, and to that of the United States. The bottom line is whether it is physical attacks on our buildings and infrastructure like we suffered on 9/11, or hybrid attacks like flooding our country with criminals and deadly chemicals, the United States will do everything in our considerable power to protect our hemisphere, our borders, and the American people. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of the United States for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Panama.

Gracias. Thank you, Mr. President. We're grateful to the President for convening this meeting. We're also grateful to Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and Pacific, Muhammad Khalid Khiari for his detailed report on the situation that brings us together today. We acknowledge the attendance of the delegations of the countries of the region who honor us with their presence. The peoples of Panama and Venezuela have maintained a deep and long-lasting historical relationship marked by the ideals of liberty and regional integration promoted by Simón Bolívar and through concrete diplomacy and mediation efforts starting from the Amphitryonic Congress of Panama that next year will mark its bicentennial up to the joint mediation role played in the framework of the Contadora Group. It is precisely pursuant to this close history, shared history, that Panama cannot remain indifferent in the face of the profound political, economic and humanitarian crisis, as well as the violations of human rights that currently are occurring in this Brethren Republic as a result of the decisions and practices of a regime whose actions have gravely eroded the democracy of its people. For Panama, there is no question that the opposition candidate, Mr. Edmundo Gonzalez Orutia, was the elected winner in the last elections. The records that confirm his victory and confirm the popular will expressed in the polls by the Venezuelan people remain and will continue to remain in the hands of Panama. Mr. President, our region is confronting very complex challenges in the area of security that are global in character, including transnational organized crime and drug trafficking. In this context, even though our region is not the main source of demand for narcotics, it has had to bear for decades the disproportionate cost due to the dynamics of production and distribution reflected in the thousands of human lives lost as a consequence of violence associated with this severe scourge. In this context, Panama urges the states of the hemisphere to coordinate and strengthen cooperation efforts to step up the fight against transnational organized crime, including trafficking of drugs, by using the relevant international instruments such as the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. At the same time, while sharing the legitimate concerns pertaining to drug trafficking and categorically rejecting any authoritarian regime, we would like to appeal for the respect of the UN Charter and in particular its Article 2 that pertains to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, as well as the international legal human rights framework, including the right to life, freedom, and personal security. In this context, Panama notes with concern the recent security incidents recorded in the Caribbean Sea in the Pacific Ocean. These highlight the need to act strictly in adherence to international law and the UN Charter in order to avoid any escalation that could affect regional stability. As a transit country and with a maritime vocation, Panama will continue to advocate for any action that could affect the freedom of navigation, neutrality, stability and peace in the oceans, that it be strictly in line with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which we are a party. The neutrality of the canal, enshrined in the International Treaty signed between Panama and the United States in 1977, to which over 40 states have become parties, represents a fundamental guarantee for the free transit and stability. In this context, Panama reaffirms its commitment to preserve the aforementioned neutrality as a pillar of peace and global stability, while it urges states who have not yet signed on to this instrument to join it, thus contributing to international maritime peace, stability, and cooperation. Panama would like to make an appeal for dialogue and a peaceful and sustainable solution in Venezuela. And we believe that it is timely for the United Nations, especially the Secretary-General, to use his mechanisms of preventive diplomacy to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions. Panama reiterates its clear and unshakable position in defense of the United Nations Charter and multilateralism as indispensable instruments to preserve regional peace and stability. In this framework, we would like to recall that Latin America and the Caribbean was declared a zone of peace 11 years ago and will continue to promote this condition so that the region preserves it, advocating constantly for respect for international law and human rights, for the benefit and well-being of our peoples. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Panama for the statement. And I give the floor to the representative of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, President. We thank ASG Khiari for his briefing, and we welcome the participation of many countries from the region. We have long been clear that Nicolás Maduro's regime claim to power lacks legitimacy. Venezuela's National Electoral Council has still failed to publish the full results of the July 2024 presidential elections after 18 months. Independent domestic and international reports observed significant irregularities, and a lack of transparency. Meanwhile, political freedoms in Venezuela remain severely restricted. The human rights situation continues to deteriorate. Its political and judicial systems continue to erode. We remain deeply concerned about ongoing repression in Venezuela and the everyday struggles of Venezuelans. This includes extreme levels of poverty and failing basic services which are precipitating a displacement crisis affecting the whole region. The United Kingdom stands firmly with the people of Venezuela in their pursuit of a democratic future. The voices of all Venezuelans need to be heard. They deserve a government which reflects their will at the ballot box. We will continue to work to achieve a peaceful, negotiated transition in Venezuela, which ensures that the will of all Venezuelans is respected. As we said in October, drug trafficking and organized crime continue to endanger communities across the globe, undermining stability and putting our shared security at risk. We will continue to work with partners in Latin America and elsewhere to tackle this issue and address challenges. President, the United Kingdom reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. We believe these foundations are essential for maintaining global peace, security and the rule of law. The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is a cornerstone of international law on ocean-related issues. The United Kingdom will always support international law and the upholding of it. We continue to monitor the situation closely. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone.

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, I also thank ASG Khalid Khiari for his important briefing. Sierra Leone takes note of the relevant letters by the Permanent Representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the concerns placed before the Council regarding developments in the Caribbean Sea. Throughout our current tenure on this Council, we have sought to support peacemaking dialogue and a steady commitment to international law. We do so mindful that, as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, and the signing of its Charter, a deliberate choice was made in 1945 to opt for collective security instead of balance of power or hegemonic security. The later doctrines failed to stop the two world wars. Eighty years on, this collective security scheme, premised on international law, is under tremendous strain. The system can only remain as strong and effective as will share adherence to its principles, especially the sovereign equality of states, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the prohibition on the threat or use of force. As we approach the end of our United Nations Security Council tenure, we have sought to defend the very principles all 193 member states have agreed to uphold. In that spirit, my delegation would offer the following observations. First, recalls the importance attached by states of Latin America and the Caribbean to maintaining the Caribbean as a zone of peace. This approach reflects a preference for restraint and for resolving differences through dialogue. We recall the position of CARICOM Heads of State and Government who reaffirmed maintaining the Caribbean as a zone of peace and emphasized dialogue and engagement towards a peaceful settlement of dispute. We therefore encourage all concerned to keep this regional aspiration in view and to avoid steps that will heighten tensions or create misunderstanding or miscalculations. Second, the UN recalls the principle of permanent sovereignty over natural resources. This is a well-established principle of international law that supports sovereign equality and development. It also reinforces that any disagreement relating to resources, economic measures or associated activities should be addressed through the lawful and peaceful means including appropriate dialogue and cooperation, as well as other methods of peaceful settlement of disputes rather than through coercion or force. Third, and most importantly, the United Nations Charter provides the guiding legal framework for current interstate relations. Article 2, paragraph 4, obliges all states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The Charter permits the use of force only in limited and clearly defined circumstances, such as when authorized by this Council under Chapter VII or in the exercise of inherent right of self-defense in response to an armed attack consistent with Article 51. These rules are central to international stability and are intended to prevent escalation, miscalculation, and illegal wars of choice. Mr. President, these principles are particularly relevant in the maritime domain. The Secretary-General recalls that the high seas are governed by international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which codifies relevant customary international law applicable to parties concerned and provides a framework for navigation, maritime safety, and the peaceful use of the oceans. For many states, especially developing and small states, predictable maritime rules are essential to trade, development and regional stability. Against this backdrop, the report notes the reports of incidents at sea involving the use of force and loss of life. Without prejudging the facts, we emphasize the general point of law. When states respond to transnational challenges, whether illicit trafficking, organized crime, or terrorism, those responses must remain consistent with the Charter and other applicable rules of international law, including relevant maritime rules and international human rights law. In that regard, the Secretary-General also recalls that outside a situation of armed conflict, the use of lethal force is subject to strict constraints under international human rights law, including the protection of the right to life. As a general principle, operations of a law enforcement character should seek wherever feasible to intercept and bring suspects to justice through due process. Reports have suggested loss of life in circumstances that may not meet the strict requirement of necessity and proportionality, understandably raises serious legal questions and underscore the importance of credible clarifications. So, I would note the value of legal clarity and consistency in public explanations for any use of force. Clarity about the legal basis for action, whether under the Charter, the law of the sea, or other applicable rules can help reduce misunderstanding, miscalculation, avoid escalation, and strengthen confidence in the international law-based system. Mr. President, having expressed our observations, Sierra Leone's primary appeal today is for calm, restraint, and diplomacy. We encourage all parties concerned to avoid rhetoric or actions that could aggravate tensions, and to pursue appropriate channels for dialogue, engagement and peaceful settlement consistent with the UN Charter. The Council's role is also to uphold the integrity of the international law framework. Where tensions arise, the consistent reaffirmation of the Charter principles can help create space for de-escalation and constructive engagement. In that respect, it reiterates that the consistent application of international law is essential to maintaining trust in multilateralism and to safeguarding the collective security scheme. In closing, we wish to reiterate that, through restraint, dialogue and fidelity to the law, peace is best protected. Yet, it may be more effective to conclude with a simple message: Let peace reign and blessed are the peacemakers. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Sierra Leone for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank ASG Khalid Khiari for his briefing. I also welcome the participation of the permanent representative of Venezuela in this meeting, along with representatives of many other countries of the region. We remain deeply concerned by the disturbing news emerging from the Caribbean region and the escalating tensions. We take note of Venezuela's letters addressed to the President of the Security Council and that of yesterday, 22 December, sharing its perspective on these developments and highlighting the potential risks to regional peace, security and stability that require the attention of the Council. In a world marked by polarization with conflicts affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions around the globe, it is all but imperative to once again underscore the centrality and inviolability of the UN Charter and its core principles, including friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, sovereign equality of all Member States, peaceful settlement of disputes, prohibition on the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states. Any unilateral measures that run contrary to these cardinal principles and the tenets of international law risk setting dangerous precedents with far-reaching consequences. Mr. President, we firmly believe that the current trajectory serves no one's interests. The path of confrontation and zero-sum approaches do not bode well for peace and tranquility in the region. Any action that negatively impacts vital economic lifelines exacerbates humanitarian challenges and closes the doors to dialogue must be avoided. We firmly believe that the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of states, as enshrined in the UN Charter, are sacrosanct. We also reiterate our support for the principles reaffirmed by UN General Assembly resolutions 1803 and 3171 on Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources, endorsing the inalienable right of peoples and nations to freely dispose of their wealth, including natural resources. My delegation reiterates once again our consistent and principled position that any measures undertaken to counter transnational organized crime or cross-border narcotics, drug trafficking must be undertaken in a cooperative manner and should remain in full conformity with international law. Mr. President, allow me to conclude by calling upon all sides to exercise maximum restraint, to de-escalate tensions and to refrain from any actions that could further aggravate the situation. We urge all sides to engage in diplomacy for peacefully resolving their differences, respecting the imperative of peaceful coexistence, and choosing the path of dialogue and cooperation to ensure that the Latin American and Caribbean region is indeed a zone of peace. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Somalia.

Mr. President, we thank you for convening this meeting in response to the letter from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. We also extend our appreciation to ASG Khalid Khiari for his comprehensive briefing on the war in development. We welcome the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as the representatives from the region to this meeting. Our delegation is following the development in the Caribbean region with close attention and concern. The issues raised today highlight the risks that heightened tensions can pose to the regional and international peace and stability. In this context, we wish to emphasize the importance of restraint, calm, and dialogue among all concerned parties. It is essential that every effort be made to avoid actions of rhetoric that could further escalate the situation. We encourage all parts to use diplomatic channels and established international mechanisms to address all concerns. We reiterate that upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter, particularly the peaceful resolution of disputes remains fundamental to preserving stability in the region and beyond. At this delicate juncture, we urge all stakeholders to act with caution and responsibility. We affirm our readiness to support any efforts aimed at de-escalation and mutual understanding. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Somalia for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Greece.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to thank ASG Khiari for his briefing, and I also welcome the participation of many countries of the region in the meeting. Greece continues to follow developments in the Caribbean region closely and is concerned by the further escalation of tensions. We join the Secretary-General in advocating for de-escalation, the exercise of maximum restraint and respect for international law, particularly the United Nations Charter. I would like to make three points, Mr. President. First, we call for the peaceful resolution of any disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. In any case, adherence to international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians remains vital. Second, we caution against an escalation that would also pose a threat to maritime security in the Caribbean and could have repercussions for the wider regional stability. In this context, upholding the law of the sea, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, remains of paramount importance. Third, we fully support the region's efforts to combat drug trafficking and fight organized crime, which may constitute serious threats to regional and international security. Those activities should ideally be pursued through law enforcement and judicial cooperation channels with a view to disrupting criminal organizations and dismantling their business models. In conclusion, Mr. President, Greece stands ready to support all bilateral, regional and international efforts for a de-escalation in the region through dialogue and diplomacy in line with international law and international humanitarian law. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Greece for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of Guyana.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank ASG Khiari for his comprehensive briefing and welcome the participation of the permanent representative of Venezuela and representatives of other member states from our region in today's meeting. Colleagues, this Council is tasked with the solemn responsibility of the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with the United Nations Charter. It is not an exaggeration to say that peace and security in our region are gravely threatened, meriting the Council's urgent attention. Guyana is among those states most affected by these threats. In defiance of international law, including the express orders of the International Court of Justice, Venezuela has, by presidential decree and legislative enactment, purported to unlawfully annex more than two-thirds of Guyana's sovereign territory. It has built up its military forces adjacent to our territory to threaten us with outright seizure of it. Disregarding the universally recognized international boundary between our two states, it has allowed and facilitates the transport of illicit drugs into Guyana while illegally mining Guyanese gold and smuggling it out of our country. Mr. President, the trafficking of illicit drugs in particular has for too long been a scourge on our region, driving crime and violence, and undermining the rule of law by weakening state institutions, fueling corruption, financing conflict and terrorism, and threatening national and regional security. There has been a consistent but thus far unsuccessful effort by leaders in our region to disrupt the criminal networks, some of them state-sanctioned, that fuel this cycle of destruction. Meanwhile, the threat to our security has grown more urgent and more acute. We cannot put off any longer the decisive action that is required to address it. But none of us can hope to accomplish this acting alone. As such, we once again stress, as we did on 10 October, that supporting and strengthening collaboration with our international partners, especially those in South, Central and North America and the Caribbean, is both essential and urgent. We must act collectively in a manner that preserves the stability of our region, long recognized as a zone of peace and which enhances the safety and security of our peoples. The ambition to pursue healthy, safe and prosperous lives for all our peoples can only be realized in an environment of sustained peace and stability. This requires cooperation and collective action among all states committed to these ends. Guyana is fully committed to such partnerships and pledges its utmost support. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Guyana for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank ASG Khiari for his comprehensive briefing. The Republic of Korea is closely monitoring the recent developments related to Venezuela and is attentive to the security concerns raised by the relevant parties. The need to address transnational organized crime, including drug trafficking, is an issue the international community cannot ignore. At the same time, respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as protection of civilians remain core values that the United Nations Charter seeks to uphold. In this regard, the Republic of Korea recognizes the importance of efforts to counter international crime and the effective implementation of sanctions. Moreover, we believe it is equally important that such measures are carefully managed so they do not escalate into military tensions that could undermine peace and stability in the region. We firmly believe that transnational issues of this nature can best be addressed by taking a cooperative approach by regional parties. The Republic of Korea appreciates that Latin America and the Caribbean has long demonstrated a strong commitment to multilateralism and peace, as reflected in the Treaty of Tlatelolco and the region's declaration as a zone of peace. In this spirit, we encourage strengthening regional cooperation and coordinating action to counter transnational organized crime in close partnership with relevant international and multilateral mechanisms. Mr. President, the Republic of Korea believes that upholding an international order and the collective security system grounded in the UN Charter is a responsibility we all share. To this end, the Republic of Korea remains committed to contributing constructively to ensuring that this matter is addressed with due caution and in a responsible manner in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter and international law. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the Republic of Korea for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Algeria.

Thank you, Mr. President. At the outset, I would like to thank you for convening this meeting at such a critical moment. I also wish to thank ASG Khalid Khiari for his detailed and informative briefing. And I would further like to welcome the participation to this meeting of the representatives of Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Paraguay. President, Algeria is following recent developments in the Caribbean region with close attention and with deep concern, particularly reports regarding actions directed at Venezuelan oil tankers. These developments raise serious questions and risk further heightening tensions in an already delicate regional context. In this regard, Algeria underscores the imperative of avoiding any steps that could lead to escalation or confrontation. Such outcomes would have serious consequences for regional and international peace and security. The Charter of the United Nations enshrines the fundamental principles that rule peaceful relations among states. These include respect for sovereign equality, self-determination of peoples, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. It is paramount in this regard to recall Article 2, paragraph 4 of the UN Charter which states, and I quote, all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations. These principles are not merely aspirational. They constitute binding obligations under international law and frame our collective responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. We call upon all concerned actors to exercise restraint, and to refrain from any actions or rhetoric that could further inflame tensions or deepen divisions. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the most effective and indeed the only means of resolving disagreement and preserving peace and stability in the region. Against the backdrop of this development, Algeria recalls the significance of maintaining Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace, as proclaimed by the states of the region, 11 years ago. This shared commitment should continue to guide conduct and relations among all parties. In this context, Algeria encourages regional organizations, including CARICOM and the Organization of American States to play a constructive role in fostering an environment conducive to dialogue, supporting impartial mediation efforts, and avoiding actions that could aggravate tensions or further polarize the situation in Venezuela. President, the fight against drug trafficking and transnational organized crime constitutes a common challenge, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Addressing this threat requires shared responsibility as no state can confront it effectively in isolation. Effective response to these challenges must be grounded in international cooperation, in mutual respect and in solidarity. Rather than confrontation, polarization or unilateral measures. In this regard, Algeria stresses that, despite how legitimate are the efforts to combat drug trafficking and transnational organized crime, they must never derail from this objective. This is a global challenge that should foster unity and cooperation, not division among nations. In conclusion, President, Algeria calls on all parties to adhere strictly to the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. History has repeatedly demonstrated that war and military intervention do not lead to lasting peace. On the contrary, they undermine it, as they always produce ripple effects that extend beyond borders, affecting neighboring countries and entire regions. The only viable path forward to solve this issue lies in diplomacy, in cooperation, and in full respect of international law. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Algeria for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Denmark.

Thank you, Mr. President. And let me also thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari for his briefing and welcome the many representatives from the region to this meeting. Denmark joins the Secretary-General in expressing concern about the heightened tensions in the Caribbean Sea. Tensions that have continued to increase since this Council last met to discuss the topic in October. We have taken note of the letters sent to the Security Council by the permanent representative of Venezuela over the past several weeks, expressing concern about continued escalations and military build-up. Denmark also takes note of the official statements from the United States Government on their operations to combat drug traffickers and stem the illicit flow of illegal narcotics. Mr. President, drug trafficking remains a persistent threat to the safety, health and well-being of millions around the world. Denmark recognizes the devastating impact of this organized crime and underscores that all counter-narcotic efforts must be done in accordance with international law, including the fundamental principles and rules in the UN Charter. This also includes treaties such as the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. We further stress multilateral initiatives and enhanced international cooperation to combat drug trafficking, to target sources of financing and to bolster border control. Regional mechanisms and cooperation remain important in the fight against transnational organized crime. Mr. President, Denmark underscores the importance of preserving the Caribbean as a zone of peace as proclaimed by leaders of the community of Latin American and Caribbean states. Denmark strongly urges all parties to strictly adhere to international law and to de-escalate tensions and exercise the necessary restraint. Maritime security in the Caribbean Sea must be preserved. Differences must be resolved through peaceful means, diplomacy and political solutions. We further urge greater engagement with the United Nations and regional bodies such as CARICOM and the OAS to play a role in facilitating dialogue and de-escalation. Mr. President, before I conclude, I want to express solidarity with the people of Venezuela and their inherent right to democracy, freedom and inalienable human rights. We do not believe the democratic will of the people of Venezuela was respected during the election in 2024, which were not transparent and also failed to meet the international standards of electoral integrity. We further remain deeply troubled by the Maduro regime's continued repression and its sustained assault on the fundamental human rights of the Venezuelan people, particularly through its targeting of opposition voices, independent media and human rights defenders. We recall that a UN fact-finding mission earlier this week reported that Venezuela's Bolivarian National Guard has committed serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity in Venezuela for more than a decade with full impunity. In this context, we regret the recent decision of the National Parliament of Venezuela to initiate the country's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court. Denmark calls on the Venezuelan authority to restore democratic institutions, political stability and human rights for the Venezuelan people. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Denmark for the statement. I give the floor to the representative of France.

Monsieur le Président. Mr. President, I wish, first and foremost, to thank the Assistant Secretary-General, Mr. Khiari, for his statement. France has been closely monitoring the developments transpiring in the region, specifically in the wake of President Donald Trump's announcements related to Venezuelan airspace and the naval blockade against oil tankers under sanction, which are entering and exiting Venezuela. We call for avoidance of all escalation that may threaten peace and security in the region and beyond. As always, we recall our commitment to respect for international law, and in particular the Charter of the United Nations.

Principles.

Of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states must be upheld. International disputes must always be resolved peacefully in accordance with article 2, paragraph 3 of the Charter. We support the Secretary-General's call for restraint and immediate de-escalation, as well as his offer of good offices. We extend our support as well for the mediation proposals emanating from states in the region who may contribute. President, combating narcotics trafficking needs to be done in accordance with international law, in particular the Charter of the United Nations, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and various international conventions on drug control, specifically the United Nations Convention against Illicit Trafficking in Narcotics Drugs and psychotropic substances dating 1988, which sets out the relevant framework of action against illicit trafficking at sea, vis-à-vis the respect for Atlantic Convention and in respect for international law and human rights. We reiterate our commitment to combating narcotics trafficking, which represents a growing threat to safety, health of our citizens and the stability of our societies. To that end, we have beefed up our judicial and police-related means, as these bodies are working to enhance cooperation among states of origin, transit, and springboard states. This cooperation is bearing fruit, as has been reflected recently with our contribution to the disbanding by the Panamanian authorities of a significant drug trafficking network with the destination of various European countries, including France at the International Airport, Panama, Tocumen Airport. France reiterates our support for multilateral initiatives to dry up financing sources for trafficking networks and to beef up border control specifically through mobilization for the establishment of a dedicated European sanctions regime for organized crime. To conclude, we wish to recall our solidarity with the Venezuelan people as they grapple with the political crisis, a dialogue in bringing in all stakeholders is necessary to restore stability in the country. Thank you.

I thank the representative of France for the statement. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Slovenia. I want to thank Assistant Secretary-General Kiefer for his briefing. Colleagues, Slovenia remains gravely concerned about the current tensions in the Caribbean region, which have intensified since the Council last discussed the situation. Steps involving an increased military presence carry a serious risk of an unintentional escalation and must be avoided to ensure that the Southern Caribbean does not become a theatre of confrontation. We reaffirm our position on the obligation of all Member States, large and small, to respect international law, particularly the Charter of the United Nations. Principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence form the cornerstone of the collective security framework and must be respected not only when one feels threatened. We note that international law also serves as the anchor in addressing maritime security challenges, including efforts to suppress illicit traffic, trafficking in narcotic drugs, as well as ensuring the safety of maritime navigation. Colleagues, Slovenia is deeply troubled by the potential wider repercussions of these tensions for a region already facing unprecedented migration pressures. At this critical moment, it is imperative that Member States exercise restraint and work to de-escalate the situation in order to preserve regional stability. Measures typically reserved for wartime undermine Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace and should be avoided to the fullest extent possible. On the other hand, we remain deeply alarmed by the persistent humanitarian and human rights challenges confronting the Venezuelan people. As reported by High Commissioner for Human Rights, as well as today by Assistant Secretary-General Ki-moon. Against a backdrop of worsening economic and social hardship, restrictions on political and civic space continue to intensify. We are equally concerned by reports of the detention of dozens of foreign citizens who have been denied communication and access to their diplomatic and consular representatives. Of fundamental obligations under international law, in particular those enshrined in the Vienna Conventions. We call on Venezuelan authorities to fully uphold these obligations and, based on the rule of law, create the conditions necessary for a credible, inclusive and meaningful political dialogue that respects the will of the Venezuelan people. To conclude, as in any other conflict, there is no military solution to disagreements between the United States and Venezuela, and the tensions in the Caribbean. We welcome and encourage initiatives by regional leaders aimed at pursuing peaceful avenues for de-escalation.

I resume my function as President of the Council. I now give the floor to the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Mr. President, one of the countries sitting at this table has publicly stated that it wants to annex our country. On the 16th of December, its President, President demanded that we immediately hand over our land, our oil, and our minerals because they supposedly belonged to them. He said that if we did not comply with his ultimatum, he would unleash the fury of the greatest navy in history on our country. We, Mr. President, we are in the presence of a power that acts outside of international law, demanding that Venezuelans vacate our country and hand over our Orinoco River, our Lake Maracaibo, our Margarita Island, our beaches, rivers, plains and mountains. Otherwise, he will carry out an armed attack, which he has been announcing for weeks. This is the greatest extortion known in our history. A gigantic crime of aggression and progress beyond all rational parameters, all legal logic, all historical precedent. But it's not just about 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 them, with the enactment of the Monroe Doctrine in the 21st century now aggravated by the Trump corollary. Our liberator, Simon Bolivar, warned of this more than 200 years ago when he said, and I quote, that the United States seemed to be destined by Providence to plague Latin America with misery in the name of liberty. We want to alert the world. Venezuela is only the first target of a larger plan. The US government wants us to be divided so it can conquer us piece by piece. 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, even at the cost of destroying the UN. We have requested this meeting aware that the US government will not allow this body to adopt a decision that would put a stop to its sinister plan. The world should know that last November, the US government was the only one that prevented an agreement in the Security Council to condemn attacks against civilians on the high seas and to call for détente dialogue and diplomacy. The US government is preventing the Security Council from fulfilling its mandate. If in 1945 that country was a force for good, today, it has become a state that threatens international law and peace and security. The world must know that the threat is not Venezuela. The threat is the current U.S. government. Mr. President, the murders in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, carried out by the U.S. government over the last few months, are the first evidence of its plan to impose its power in the region in flagrant violation of international law and human rights. There have been more than 29 attacks resulting in more than 101 victims, non-combatant civilians in the absence of armed conflict, who were coldly murdered, violating their right to the presumption of innocence due in process. Let it be clear once and for all that there is no war in the Caribbean, there is no international armed conflict, nor is there a non-international one, which is why it is absurd for the US government to seek to justify its actions by applying the rules of war. The invocation of Article 51 of the United Nations Charter to explain terrorism against civilians masked by the argument of self-defense is a perverse distortion of the law. Attempting to turn small, unarmed boats in the Caribbean thousands of kilometers from the United States into alleged perpetrators of an armed attack with weapons of mass destruction. These are extrajudicial executions, willful killings committed by military force against unarmed civilians. We stated that before the Security Council on the 10th of October. Today it is absolutely clear that the US government not is only violating international law, but also its own domestic legislation. Today, when there are four times as many victims, they do not dare to show the recorded evidence of the killings because their cruelty would provoke worldwide revulsion. Despite this, today, with more than 100 victims, the killer who roams the Caribbean claims that there is no end in sight to their crimes against humanity. Mr. President, on 16 December, President Donald Trump publicly stated following, the and I quote, Today, I am ordering a total and complete blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers going in and out of Venezuela. This is a confession of a crime. Specifically a crime of aggression, with which the President of the United States intends to turn back the clock of history 200 years to impose a colony on Venezuela. On 10 December, meanwhile, US military units violently assaulted a vessel engaged in lawful international trade in international waters in the Caribbean, they subdued and kidnapped the entire crew and illegally seized the cargo of Venezuelan oil, which was part of a legitimate and regular commercial operation. It was a robbery carried out by military force, which sets an extremely serious precedent for the safety of navigation, and international trade. The illegal use of state force to carry out theft on the high seas is worse than piracy, worse than piracy, since in this case it is not only a matter of stealing commercial vessels, which is evidence of intentionality, and violating their rights to navigate in international waters, but also of the de facto annexation of the entire Caribbean Sea by a naval power. In doing so, in addition to violating Venezuela's inalienable right to trade legally with the world, it seeks to deny all countries the right to trade with Venezuela. Just three days ago, on 20 December, a second act of the same nature took place when another vessel carrying Venezuelan oil was similarly seized by the US military forces in international waters in the Caribbean. The cargo was stolen and the crew has been kidnapped. Immediately afterwards, the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, indicated that such criminal operations would continue, while President Trump declared that he would keep the stolen cargo. So I'd like to ask what right does the United States government has to appropriate to date almost 4 million barrels of Venezuelan oil? This alleged naval blockade is essentially a military act aimed at laying siege to the Venezuelan nation, degrading its economic and military apparatus, weakening its social and political cohesion, and causing internal chaos to facilitate aggression by external forces. That is, it's an armed attack. This has been stated by President Trump himself, who is also violating the right to existence of the entire Venezuelan people by deliberately denying them the essential means for their subsistence. Mr. President, on the 29th of November, President Trump stated, and I quote, To all airlines, pilots, please consider the airspace over and around Venezuela as completely closed. This statement was put into practice among other things by an electronic warfare campaign by US military forces in the region. Which has been blinding the navigation instruments of all civilian aircraft transiting Venezuelan airspace to provoke a security incident. Electronic interference in the Caribbean has nearly caused at least two tragedies involving US civilian aircraft that were seconds away from colliding with aircraft belonging to their own country's air force. It should be noted that the civilian aircraft involved took off from Curacao and Aruba, both bound for U.S. territory, proving that the danger created by that country's military forces against its own citizens also affects the airspace of other nations such as the Netherlands Antilles. There can be no doubt the US government poses a threat to the entire region, which has been declared a zone of peace since 2014. As we warned this body on the 9th of October, this type of behavior combined with a series of unreported military incursions into Venezuela's flight information region on non-notified and reported is an attempt to provoke a direct confrontation. In other words, to fabricate a provocation that would allow article 51 of the United Nations to be falsely invoked. The US government, the aggressor, requires its propaganda apparatus to present it to the world as a country under attack to initiate an armed conflict. We denounce this dangerous manipulation and assure the world that we will not lose our composure in defending the peace of our nation. Let us repeat, the threat is not Venezuela, the threat is the US government. This set of proven facts cannot be viewed in isolation. They must be understood as a cumulative process of aggression that increases the destructive impact on the Venezuelan nation. They constitute illegal acts of direct use of armed force against a nation that is at perfect peace and has no conflict whatsoever with the United States. Unfortunately, the Security Council could miss an opportunity to stop the criminal plans of the US government due to the abusive way in which the US government exercises its power in this body. Today, the red line has been crossed and the US government bears international responsibility for the ongoing aggressions. Mr. President, we are facing a massive violation of the entire international legal architecture. It is a grotesque offense that violates every civilizational norm. Today, the US government is imposing chaos and destruction on international relations, just as the evil actors who caused the Second World War did. The peremptory norms of international law, jus cogens, which are universally accepted and form a part of humanity's cultural heritage, are being ignored by the US government, including the prohibition of aggression, the prohibition of crimes against humanity, and the right to self-determination. Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations establishes guiding principles for international relations that the US government is flagrantly violating. We refer to the principle of legal equality of states, as well as the principle of refraining from the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of states. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes that every individual has the right to liberty and security of a person. Similarly, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the United States is a party, establishes life as an inherent right of every person which no one may be arbitrarily deprived of. This central instrument also prohibits the deprivation of the means of subsistence of entire peoples. The Geneva Convention of the high seas, to which the United States is also a party, establishes not only the right to freedom of navigation, but also that no state shall legitimately claim sovereignty over any part of the high seas, as these are open to all nations. The jurisprudence established by international courts confirms in turn that the principles of non-intervention in the internal affairs of states, refraining from the use or the threat of force and respect for sovereignty are part of customary international law as reflected in judgments dating from 1986 to the present. General Assembly 1803 on the permanent sovereignty over natural resources establishes that the violation of such rights is contrary to the spirit and principles enshrined in the UN Charter. General Assembly resolution 2625 establishes that a war of aggression constitutes a crime against peace, that it entails responsibility and that another state shall not acquire the territory of a state as a result of the threat or use of force. General Assembly 3314 states that whether or not there is a declaration of war, the blockade of the ports or coasts of a state by the armed forces of another state constitutes an act of aggression. Despite having legally binding obligations under all these instruments and resolutions, the US government openly violates them with total impunity. However, the US government, which behaves like an irresponsible actor in the community of nations, seeks to convince the world that the law is absolutely clear that the problem is not Venezuela. The problem is the US government. The massive violation of international law must be understood. At its roots. And for this reason, we must unmask the disinformation operations that the US government uses with its gigantic propaganda apparatus to justify its aggression against a peaceful country such as Venezuela. Back in 2019, an attempt was made to impose a puppet entity to replace the legitimate government of Venezuela. And clandestine operations were carried out to sabotage critical services. An attack from abroad disguised as humanitarian aid. Several assassination attempts against the nation's legitimate constitutional president. A failed invasion by terrorists and mercenaries. Several coup attempts as well as actions to cripple oil production to which were added more than 1,000 unilateral coercive measures. The Venezuelan nation resisted this criminal destabilization operation under the firm leadership of President Nicolás Maduro Moros, who has been the target of the most intense international propaganda campaigns against the head of state and government in the history of our continent. Today, in 2025, faced with the failure of all previous attempts, some politicians of the United States need justification for the direct use of armed force. The narratives rehearsed by the propaganda machine have been changing, incoherent, and above all, false. Let's look at the evidence. The hate campaign began in the United States with an attack on all Venezuelans. They were designated as foreign enemies, invaders and terrorists, members of the so-called Tren de Aragua, whose presence was declared incompatible with the national security of that country. Then, all our compatriots were stigmatized as drug traffickers and even more, it has been claimed that the vast majority of them are dangerous criminals who have escaped from prisons or psychiatric hospitals. This is a xenophobic and racist campaign, the likes of which have not been seen since World War II against another nationality of migrants. We're in the presence of a classic example of war propaganda. There's no connection whatsoever with reality. There's no evidence, nor any need to present it, just a repetition of incoherencies in the hope of confusing and creating a fog that allows aggression. One of the greatest creators of the propaganda used by the US government during the invasion of Iraq put it very clearly. And I quote, We are now an empire and when we act, we create our own reality. While you study that reality, we will act creating other realities which you can study too. And that is how things will sort out. We're history's actors and you all of you will be left to just study what we do. Mr. President, today the masks have come off. All the toxic excuses used to poison public opinion are confronted with a harsh reality of senior U.S. government officials announcing their real objective. It's not drugs, it's not security, it's not freedom. It is oil. It's the mines, it's the land. On the 16th of December, the President of the United States stated that, and I quote, Venezuela is completely surrounded by the largest naval force ever assembled in the history of South America. It will only get bigger and the shock to them will be like nothing they have ever seen before until they returned to the United States all the oil, land and other assets they stole from us. All of which must be returned immediately. On 17 December, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stated that the entire Venezuelan oil industry belongs to the United States and demanded its return. On 20 December, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth noted that the blockade against Venezuela will remain in full force until our country returns the allegedly stolen assets to the United States. All this means that the US government is claiming the world's largest oil reserves as its own, in what would be one of the greatest acts of plunder in human history. This absurd claim confirms that there is no limit to the US government's addiction to oil, and that all the excuses given in relation to our country have been part of smokescreen. It is a plan of conquest and colonization that has no place in the 21st century. An extortion plan that demands that we hand over our country and our heritage in exchange for US troops not firing on our people. The outlandish claim that Venezuela oil belongs to the United States based on the argument of Venezuela's alleged historical debt to that country has no legal, political or historical basis whatsoever. It's simply non-existent. No debt and even less so an imaginary one is in this case gives a state the right to resort to the use of force much less to appropriate the natural resources of another sovereign state unilaterally. To accept such logic would be tantamount to admitting that by virtue of the enormous debt that the United States itself owes to countries such as China, Japan, and the United Kingdom, it could legitimately justify the attack, blockade, or confiscation of U.S. assets and resources, which is clearly absurd and contrary to any legal order. It must also be remembered that in the energy relationship between Venezuela and the United States, Venezuela has historically been at a disadvantage due to trading patterns and unfair economic conditions that have benefited the U.S. side for decades. Venezuela remains firm in its defense of energy cooperation relations based on equality and mutual benefit, grounded in sovereign equality and respect for both parties. It is therefore one of the most dishonorable and vile proposals we have ever received in our entire history. And we repudiate it from the depth of our patriotic honor. The truth is brutal and criminal. The U.S. government is threatening an armed attack against Venezuela to satisfy the big oil corporations, particularly ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil, which are pioneers in the theft of Venezuelan oil. The children of American families will be ordered to risk their lives to line the pockets of oil company shareholders with billions of dollars while thousands of Venezuelan and American families are destroyed. It is blood for oil. Blood for oil is not a noble proposition. It is unworthy and unacceptable. War for oil is a death sentence. The same one offered to Iraq, Syria, Libya and so many others. The behavior of the US government confirms a cynical phrase of the propaganda of Wars for Oil, which states that, and I quote, It is unfortunate that God has placed the oil of the United States in the territory of other nations. End of quote. It's a war of plunder and pillage with a flag taken from the pit of human values. We must emphasize that the proposal of the US government, even if it fails, constitutes an attack on the entire system of international relations, and in particular on the global south, whose peoples are considered inferior by the current US government. This Security Council loses its meaning if the US government persists with its devastating proposal. No one is safe, no one. There are no principles to govern our countries and our peoples. Hence the importance of this body being able to fully comply with its mandate and to this end we demand that it explicitly condemn this ongoing aggression from extrajudicial executions to acts of piracy. We also demand that it take the necessary measures to ensure that the US government withdraws its military forces, puts an end to the use of force, and lifts the unilateral blockade it has imposed on our country. And finally, we demand that a process of accountability be initiated to punish these acts and prevent their repetition. Otherwise, it will be the consolidation of a grim world without principles or ideals governed by violence and dishonor. It will be a world without the United Nations. Let us repeat, Venezuela is not the threat. The threat is the failure to comply with international law. The world knows that if the scale of armed attacks continues, we will exercise with all determination our inalienable right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Fortunately, the future may be different. We've all seen how, despite the warmongering propaganda, the vast majority of the people of the United States reject any attempt at war with Venezuela and demand an end to the aggression, rejecting the destructive ideology of endless wars. There is no tension between the peoples of the United States and Venezuela. There is none. In Venezuela, our people are at peace, united, full of patriotic faith, determined to defend their land, their families, their heritage, their history and their honor. The Orinoco River will always be Venezuelan. No force on Earth can take away our right to exist. Mr. President, to conclude, allow me to address a few words to our people.

It is an honor for us to represent here the voice of millions of Venezuelans. Who are in our homeland working peacefully to defend our right to live in peace. Millions of women and men who work in the fields and cities and factories and schools, in hospitals and in the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, building a dignified, independent and sovereign nation. We must all be proud to be living through this momentous time in our history. The moment when we are defending our homeland against a foreign power arrogant enough to believe it can turn us into a colony. The Venezuelan men and women are grateful to life for allowing us to fight for our second independence and show the world what we're made of: optimism, pride, and love for our homeland. The time has come to unite in defense of what is ours today, as we joyfully prepare to celebrate Christmas with our families. Let us also remember all the efforts of our ancestors who handed down this nation to us to care for our daughters and sons. Today we are responsible for defending our past, our present and future.

Future.

Let us defeat the despotism that raises its voice. Glory to the brave people who shook off the yoke. Sisters and brothers, together we will prevail. Merry Christmas to all.

I thank the representative of Venezuela for the statement. I would like to request the remaining eight speakers to limit their statements maximum to five minutes if we are to finish the session within the allocated time. I give now the floor to the representative of Colombia.

Mr. President, I would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Ki-moon for his valuable briefing. The recent military activities carried out by the United States and the Caribbean Sea, as well as the public statements made at the highest level by the government of the United States, are generating tensions in a region which, up to now, has been characterized by stability and peaceful coexistence. Latin America and the Caribbean have been proclaimed as a zone of peace. Based on clear principles, the prohibition of the threat or the use of force, the peaceful resolution of disputes, promotion of dialogue and multilateralism, strict respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, a non-interference into the internal affairs of states, and the inalienable rights of peoples to self-determination. The escalation of actions of a military character not only increases the risk of a greater conflict, but also, while it's contrary to international law, also undermines collective efforts to prevent conflict and undermines regional stability. Colombia rejects categorically any threat of the use of force and the use of this as a means to resolve disputes. These actions, as well as unilateral coercive measures, that do not align with the United Nations Charter nor with the decisions of this body. Erode the rule of law and cannot be a substitute for dialogue, preventive diplomacy or the mechanisms for the peaceful resolution of disputes which should be a priority in any actions between states. Mr. President, Colombia is fully conscious that transnational organized crime, including drug trafficking, is a significant threat for peaceful and inclusive societies. This should be an opportunity to highlight the fact that Colombia has demonstrated a sustained and verifiable commitment to the fight against the illicit trafficking of narcotics and other forms of transnational crime, as evidenced by the record figures of seizures and joint operations carried out and strict adherence to international law and the principles of proportionality and necessity and respect for human rights. With this in mind, we'd like to make an appeal to strengthen cooperation in regional and international coordination in a way that's consistent with the principle of common and shared responsibility and in the framework of the relevant legal and international agreements. Based on this, this should be done with the goal of building a safe and stable environment for the benefit of our peoples and thus to combat and strict compliance with international obligations against all manifestations of transnational criminal activity. In no case should we allow for extrajudicial responses to activities of transnational organized crime and/or attacks against the civilian population and against the civilian assets. The silence in the face of actions that threaten international peace and security do not contribute to the de-escalation or the protection of the most vulnerable. Any action or the lack of it that is not geared towards peace should not remain unseen by this Council, which has the responsibility of raising its voice and promoting actions that are consistent with its mandate of maintaining international peace and security. Colombia reiterated its firm commitment to defending peace, stability, democracy and the development of the region because we're convinced that only through mutual respect, strict adherence to international law, multilateral cooperation and dialogue will we build lasting solutions. Combating transnational organized crime must be carried out exclusively based on strict adherence to relevant international norms without resorting to extrajudicial actions or interpretations that seek to justify the use of force outside the conditions enshrined in the Charter. Therefore, with this in mind, we urge all parties to act responsibly with restraint and with the political will of upholding the United Nations Charter and resorting to mediation and dialogue, including possibly facilitated by our region, as the only valid way of resolving their disputes. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Colombia for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Chile.

Gracias, Señor Presidente. Thank you, Mr. President. Chile is grateful to Slovenia for convening this briefing under the item, Threats to International Peace and Security. We're also grateful to Mr. Khalil Khawam, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East Asia and the Pacific. Mr. President, Chile would like to express its profound concern regarding the deployment of military action in the Caribbean and reject any armed activity that could put at risk the stability and peace of the region. These considerations recall the need to respect international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty, peaceful resolution of disputes, prohibition the of the threat or the use of force, and respect for international law. Chile would like to also underscore the urgent need to continue undertaking coordinated efforts to confront transnational organized crime. As well as our conviction that Latin America and the Caribbean must continue to be a zone of peace. My country has always been consistent in its position. Chile does not recognize the legitimacy of the current regime led by Mr. Nicolas Maduro. Due to the absence of democratic conditions, electoral guarantees and full respect for the rule of law. At the same time, we reaffirm that our position is always geared towards the defense, the protection of the Venezuelan people whose rights and dignity must be placed at the center of any international considerations. The context of tensions that we're observing should not make us forget the prolonged deterioration of the institutions, the restrictions on political and civic rights, and the lack of effective opportunities for democratic participation. In addition to that, there's a grave humanitarian and migratory crisis that has become one of the most serious sources of displacement in the contemporary world. Millions of Venezuelans have been forced to abandon their country in seeking security, covering their basic needs and opportunities, forcing host countries to meet their needs, including our country. In this context, Chile would like to specifically stress the risks that would accompany any military escalation or armed conflict. A confrontation such as this would have devastating humanitarian consequences. It would only deepen the suffering of the civilian population and would further aggravate the process of displacement, insecurity and vulnerability. Any dispute should be dealt with exclusively through peaceful means. In strict adherence to international law, the sovereignty of states and the prohibition of the use or the threat, the use of force. Mr. President, in the face of this complex scenario, Chile considers the role of multilateral mechanisms of dialogue and prevention to be very valuable. In this spirit, we particularly view the role of the United Nations and, in particular, the role that could be played by the Secretary-General and this Council with the consent of the parties to contribute to the reducing tensions and seeking understandings that favor a political and sustainable solution, a peaceful and sustainable solution. Prudent leadership and the experience accumulated by our organization could be important in preventing a deterioration of the situation and maintaining the channels of communication open. Mr. President, Our conviction is clear: the challenges confronting Venezuela do not have a military solution. They can only be tackled through peaceful processes that are gradual and inclusive that consider the legitimate aspirations of Venezuelan people and give priority to the protection of the civilian population. Chile reiterates its readiness to support constructive initiatives that point in this direction and to work together with the countries of the region and the international community for the benefit of stability, mutual understanding and respect for the principles that sustain this organization.

Thank you.

I thank the representative of Chile for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Argentina.

Buenas tardes. Good afternoon. The Republic of Argentina is grateful to the Slovenian Presidency for convening this briefing. Mr. President, Argentina would like to express once again its deep consternation regarding the very grave situation in Venezuela. As we have stated in various forums, my country considers that the illegitimate regime of Nicolás Maduro has plunged Venezuela into a grave political, humanitarian and social crisis whose effects transcend the domestic sphere and have negative impact on stability in Latin America and the Caribbean. The persistence of impunity and the weakening of the rule of law in Venezuela, the political institutional destabilization and the projection of transnational organized crime all constitute a concrete threat for security in the hemisphere. Since the start of the term of President Javier Milei, Argentina has firmly condemned what has taken place in Venezuela: lack of freedom, systematic violation of human rights, illegal detentions, and the forced disappearance of political opposition figures, Venezuelan citizens and foreigners, including of children and teenagers. Peace, freedom, and democracy in Latin America have been put at risk by a regime lacking in political legitimacy that does not allow for free and democratic elections, and that disregards the sovereign will of the Venezuelan people, which has been expressed convincingly at the polls in favor of Admundo Gonzales Urutia, who Argentina recognizes as the President-elect of Venezuela. Mr. President, on this opportunity, I would like to recall that Venezuela is suspended from Mercosur since 2017 for violating the Ushuaia Protocol for on the democratic commitment. This protocol establishes democracy as an essential condition for regional integration, allowing for the suspension of any member state in case of a breakdown of the democratic or constitutional order and applying automatic sanctions to protect the values and the state of law in the region. The reestablishment of democratic order and strict respect for human rights and Venezuela are essential in this context. President Miley during the Mercosur Summit on the 20th of December stated, Argentina welcomes the pressure of the United States to liberate the Venezuelan people. Nor can there be any true security in Latin America while the lives and freedom and the stability of our countries are permanently threatened by drug trafficking, terrorism and transnational organized crime. These networks are sustained and expand thanks to the protection, complicity and connivance of regimes such as the one that prevails today in Venezuela. Lastly, Mr. President, Argentina underscores the responsibility of the international community to adopt a clear and determined position towards the Maduro regime, to demand the liberation of political prisoners, among which the Argentinian citizen Nahuel Galló, who continues to be illegally detained in Venezuela since the 8th of December 2024 and to ensure the return of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and economic prosperity in Venezuela. Only in this way will there be true peace in the region. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Argentina for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Brazil.

Mr. President, I'm grateful for the convening of this emergency meeting of the Security Council and for the briefing provided by Assistant Secretary-General Khalid K. Brazil is a firm promoter and defender of the UN Charter of multilateralism and peaceful solution of disputes. We're also a neighbor and friend of Venezuela, with whom we share a long land border and strong historical, social and economic links. As on all questions dealt with by this Council, the imperative principle guiding its action should be the UN Charter of the United Nations in particular its principles and provisions on international peace and security. Among these principles, the Charter establishes legally binding obligation of not using or threatening to use force against the territorial integrity or the political independence of any state without prejudice to Article 51 pertaining to the right to legitimate defense. These principles and provisions are binding for all Member States. They do not allow exceptions based on ideological, geopolitical, political, economic or any other kind of interests or projects. Nor do they admit exceptions related to complaints or claims of one state against another that should be resolved peacefully, including by turning to the International Court of Justice, which is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. They're also incompatible with the Charter's any disruption in international commerce by a member state through the use or the threat of the use of force without the due and formal authorization of this Council. As the government of Brazil has underscored continually, unilateral coercive measures do not have a basis in the UN Charter and even less justification to be implemented, these measures to be implemented through the use of force. Solutions based on force are completely contrary to the best tradition of the United Nations. Of irreversible and firm course for peace adopted by Latin America and the Caribbean. We are and we want to continue to be a region of peace, respectful of international law and good relations among neighbors. Mr. President, in view of the aforementioned, the military force deployed and maintained by the United States off the coast of Venezuela and the recently declared naval blockade are violations of the UN Charter. Therefore, it should cease immediately and unconditionally in favor of the use of political and legal instruments which are broadly available. Brazil urges both countries to engage in genuine dialogue in good faith and without coercion. As President Lula has already publicly stated, his government will be ready to cooperate and, if necessary, with the mutual consent of the United States and Venezuela. Brazil is also ready to support any effort by the Secretary-General to this end. The issue that brings us together today is not only of concern to countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, it concerns the entire international community because ultimately an outbreak of a conflict in the region could have global repercussions. It is the responsibility of the Security Council of all its members and all the states yearning for peace to work tirelessly without fear or other kind of motivations to ensure that the disputes that we're discussing today are resolved peacefully. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Brazil for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Paraguay.

Muchas gracias, Señor Presidente. Thank you, Mr. President. The delegation of the Republic of Paraguay is grateful to the President, the members of the Council for the opportunity to take the floor. The topic that we're discussing is of great relevance and delicacy, especially due to the efforts undertaken by our region in sustaining democratically elected governments, as well as in combating transnational organized crime, laundering assets, trafficking in persons, cybercrime and drug trafficking, which have cost countless innocent lives and destroyed entire communities in our continent and in the world. Democracy, dear colleagues, is built day by day. This is why we cannot forget the situation that Venezuela is going through. Its migratory and security crisis defies our response capacities of our country, including undermines the stability of the entire region. Let us be clear: the suffering of the Venezuelan people is the direct consequence of the actions and measures of the regime of the government of this country and not external factors or third factors. The return of democracy in this country and the possibility that the legitimately elected authorities assume their functions would be an act of justice and a fundamental step for stability in the region. With this in mind, I would like to express with absolute clarity that we will not support or advocate actions that put at risk democracy, respect for human rights or the Constitution. Our commitment is and will continue to be to the democratic principles, the rule of law and social peace. Mr. President, in Oslo just a few weeks ago, Paraguay was present at the highest level in the ceremony for the Nobel Peace Prize in support of the family members of Maria Corina Machado. The Venezuelan cause is one that affects us deeply because it is a people that has seen its rights and freedoms trampled on by a dictatorial regime, a cruel regime. Venezuela is not a problem only for Venezuelans, but is and will remain a problem for the entire world and especially for our region. We therefore would like to express our solidarity with Maria Corina and through her to the entire Venezuelan people. We are sure that peace and freedom will come to Venezuela sooner rather than later. Mr. President, lastly, I would like to underscore that the fight against organized crime should continue to be conducted in the framework of international humanitarian law in coordination with mechanisms for the defense of democracy, fundamental principles international of law, as well as the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms. All these are essential elements for the process of international regional integration, development and prosperity. Paraguay will continue to work in cooperation with all regional actors. With whom we share these values of democracy and peace. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Paraguay for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Mexico.

Señor Presidente. Mr. President, Mexico welcomes the session of the Security Council to examine the situation that is derived from the growing tensions around Venezuela. When international peace is threatened, it is up to this Council to assume its responsibilities and act always in strict adherence to international law. Latin America and the Caribbean have historically been characterized as a zone of peace, built on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful solution of disputes, and prohibition the on the use or the threat of the use of force. The recent escalation of tensions and the deployment of military forces in the south of the Caribbean Sea represent actions that put at risk regional stability. It is essential to preserve our peaceful coexistence, not only as a regional aspiration, but as a concrete and valuable contribution to international peace. In conformity with Article 2 of the UN Charter, no dispute between states can be resolved through the threat or the use of force. History demonstrates that the threat or the use of force invariably leads to greater human suffering and the erosion of the international legal order. Based on the constitutional principles of the foreign policy of Mexico, and in particular, non-intervention, peaceful solution of disputes, the prohibition on the use the threat of the use of force in international relations. We firmly reiterate that no matter which region or country this applies to dialogue and negotiation are the only legitimate and effective ways of resolving in the long run existing differences. Since 2019, the Mexican state has maintained a firm position in favor of a peaceful, democratic and negotiated solution to the situation of Venezuela, always in the framework of strict respect for human rights. Pursuant to the constitutional principles of our foreign policy, Mexico reiterates that it is exclusively up to the Venezuelan people to determine its political future. This is why we make an unequivocal and urgent appeal to all parties to prefer diplomatic channels to act with restraint, caution, and avoid measures that could aggravate the situation. At moments when the value of multilateralism and the value of the UN itself is tested, it is essential to resort to mechanisms envisaged in Article 33 of the UN Charter, geared towards the prevention of conflicts and the peaceful solution of disputes. We also hope that this Council can guide and channel these efforts at peace in compliance with this mandate. We also urge the Secretary-General to use his good offices to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions, to promote trust between the parties, facilitate dialogue, and generate conditions that allow for a peaceful, sustainable solution in conformity with international law. Mr. President, lastly, and as has been publicly stated by President Claudia Scheinbaum, Mexico reiterates its readiness to support, as we have done in the past, and in case we are requested, support any effort at facilitating dialogue, mediation or support that contributes to preserving regional peace and avoiding a confrontation whose consequences are unpredictable. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Mexico for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Cuba.

Thank you, Mr. President. Just eight days ago, Cuba denounced in this organ the dangerous escalation of aggressions by the government of the United States against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which constituted a flagrant violation of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, in particular article two with regard to sovereign equality among states, the prohibition of the threat of the use of force, the non-intervention in internal affairs, and the resolution of international disputes through peaceful means. Also, this violates numerous resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, in particular number 2625 on the principles of international law that pertain to relations of friendship and cooperation among states, the 3314, which defines the blockade of ports or the coasts of a state by the armed forces of another state as an act of aggression. Resolution 2131 on the inadmissibility of the intervention in internal affairs of states and the protection of their independence and sovereignty. Resolution 794144 and 80110 that refer to the security and protection of maritime transport and freedom of navigation. Legislation, as well as the relevant resolutions of the International Maritime Organization. Likewise, these actions contravene various resolutions of the UNGA on measures to eliminate international terrorism and of the Security Council pertaining to threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. In less than a month, the armed forces of the United States have committed three various acts of piracy and maritime terrorism against oil tankers and their crews in international waters of the Caribbean Sea, in addition to the declaration of a naval blockade against Venezuela. The irresponsible actions by the U.S. government seems to have no limits. It imposes the application of its laws outside its territory and far from its coasts, where it has no jurisdiction, using assaults and the appropriation of assets. This is part of an escalation by the United States to prevent the legitimate right of Venezuela to use and freely commercialize its natural resources with other nations, including the supply of hydrocarbons to Cuba. These actions have a negative impact on Cuba and compound the policy of maximum pressure and economic suffocation by the United States. With a direct impact on the national energy grid and consequently on the daily lives of our people. We reiterate that the Government of the United States disregards and gravely violates international law. The regime established in the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation and commerce, and the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation. As if that wasn't enough, arbitrary, an fraudulent, unilaterally, and politically motivated way, the United States designated the legitimate government of Venezuela as a foreign terrorist organization. This confirms the lack of credibility in these decisions and the manipulation of terrorism as a political weapon. What moral standing does the U.S. government have for these designations? When it protects and finances terrorist organizations on its territory, refuses to cooperate with countries such as Cuba and on terrorism, and openly speaks of COVID actions and sabotage by the CIA against Venezuelan infrastructure. They only continue to seek to isolate the Bolivarian and Chavist revolution and step up pressure, escalate towards an aggression with unpredictable consequences for peace, security and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean and expand the already narrow support for their illegal actions. It is hypocritical that the country with the largest market for drugs in the world, whose territory finances its criminal business, promotes a war to supposedly combat the scourge in Latin America and the Caribbean. It's clear that its purpose is to justify the costly and extraordinary military deployment in the region, with which it seeks to assault Venezuela and impose its hegemonic domination on the hemisphere. We alert the international community regarding these provocations that seek to further escalate the aggression against Venezuelan territory and seize its natural resources. Venezuela and any other state that is attacked has legitimate right to defend itself in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter. All this, in addition to the unilateral coercive measures, economic suffocation, campaigns of discrediting, and attacks against important institutions of this country that are part of the psychological war and increase of pressure by the government of the United States to overthrow the government of Venezuela. Mr. President, the new national security strategy of the United States, which includes the so-called Trump corollary to the doctrine Monroe, puts into practice the idea that the Western Hemisphere is its exclusive zone of influence. It validates a dangerous doctrine of peace through force and enshrines intentional warfare as a policy of the state. It reflects the huge challenges confronted by humanity, in particular Latin America and the Caribbean region. The current government of the United States and its projection toward the region tramples on the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace. Peace. The policy of big stick and gunboat diplomacy with their criminal set of aggressions and assaults against peoples belongs to the past in our region. We cannot allow for it to be its future. We reiterate the appeal of the international community to stop this escalation against a sovereign state. The naval deployment that is exaggerated and unjustified of the U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea together with a deliberate threat of military aggression against the Bolivarian nation would have unpredictable consequences for political, social and economic stability of the entire region. It reveals the hegemonic and criminal intention and requires universal condemnation. Mr. President, we reject the extension of sanctions and unilateral coercive measures of the European Union against Venezuela. They are contrary to international law and the UN Charter, and they seek to step up pressure against the government of Venezuela and are aligned with aggressive and neocolonial U.S. interests. Cuba reaffirms its total and firm support for the constitutional president, Nicolas Maduro. For the Bolivarian and Chavist revolution and its civic military union, we demand strict respect for its sovereignty, independence, and the right of Venezuela to freely decide its destiny without foreign interference. It is not the first time that there's an attempt to subdue Latin America to hegemonic ambitions. We're convinced that it will not be the last attempt and that the people of the region will be able to determine their own future and advocate for their legitimate right to live in peace. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Cuba for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Nicaragua.

Muchas gracias, Señor Presidente. Thank you, President. Nicaragua expresses its full and standing unshakable solidarity as brotherly and militant solidarity with the constitutional government of President Nicolás Maduro Moros. With the Chavist and Bolivarian people and with the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela. The sovereignty, territorial integrity of Venezuela must be upheld. They are part and parcel of our Latin America and the Caribbean. Their fight is our fight. We acknowledge the unshakable, their unshakable resistance in the face of imperial machinery and honor the memory of Commandante Hugo Chavez, whose legacy of sovereignty and unity beats with force in the entire heart of the great homeland. We reaffirm our unshakable solidarity. With the Venezuelan government and people that are resisting in the face of threats and attacks of imperialism. Their fight for peace, justice and the right to build their own destiny is a cause that we embrace. Mr. President, Nicaragua categorically denounces the acts of modern piracy. In this case, the pillaging of the natural resources of Venezuela, we denounce that these looting and acts of modern piracy, such as seizure of oil tankers and plunder of financial assets, are an attack against the sovereignty of the people of Venezuela and constitute a dangerous assault against the peace and stability of the entire Latin American Caribbean region with consequence with catastrophic consequence in regional trade and economic development. We strongly condemn the aggressions and hostile act continued hostile actions that have been intensified against Venezuela that have led to a criminal economic blockade and a hybrid war designed to inflict maximum suffering against the civilian population. These deliberate actions seek to provoke the collapse of a sovereign nation in order to impose by force and intimidation and famine a docile and servile government at the service of selfish foreign interests. We demand the immediate cessation of the military deployment of the United States in our elite region of Latin America and the Caribbean. This pirate military presence is a direct threat to the security of our nations. This policy of aggression is a shameless act to change legitimate and democratically elected governments. We demand that an end be put to imperialist and colonizing actions by the United States and our region. And we urge the international community to preserve and respect the spirit and the fundamental principles of the UN Charter, such as the refraining of the use of force against the independence of any state, non-intervention, peaceful resolution of disputes and sovereign equality of states. Mr. President, the Venezuelan people want peace. We demand that the dignity and sovereignty of their country be respected, their inalienable right to commercialize their natural resources freely, and we request that all unilateral coercive measures that are illegal be immediately ended. They undermine the stability of the region and constitute collective punishment prohibited by international law. Nicaragua joins the appeal of the constitutional President, Nicolás Maduro Moros, and the conscientious leaders of the world to condemn these acts and to activate all relevant multilateral mechanisms to investigate punish and prevent these actions of economic piracy and aggression. The Security Council of the United Nations has an obligation to protect international peace and security. It cannot be a passive spectator of the pillaging of a nation. Nicaragua knows that the unity of peoples is more powerful than hegemonic ambitions. We have a political and moral obligation to build a world that is safe. We will stand side by side with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters to protect their homeland. Venezuela is not alone. To conclude, we want to reaffirm that defending the sovereignty of the United Nations of Venezuela is defending the Charter of the United Nations, the principle of non-intervention and the self-determination of all peoples to build their own destiny without foreign coercion, without threats or the use of force in international relations. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Nicaragua for the statement. The representative of the United States has asked for the floor to make a further statement.

Thank you, Mr. President. The illegitimate Maduro regime has displayed little to no political will to counter drug-related threats and curb drug trafficking in Venezuela. In fact, it has facilitated the illicit production and distribution of narcotics, creating conditions that have allowed drug traffickers and other transnational criminal organizations to operate with impunity. It is necessary for the national security of the United States to act aggressively against these narco traffickers, as traditional drug interdiction methods have proven ineffective at stopping the flow. The United States will continue to take decisive actions to weaken the illegitimate regime and deny Maduro and his cronies access to illicit revenues. This includes profits from the sale of oil. As Secretary Rubio said just last week, the goal here is to bring security and stability to the hemisphere, to the region we live in, which has not received enough attention, to bring the elements of American power to achieve that, to do it in partnership with as many countries as are willing to work with us in that regard. That's the goal. And with that, I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of the United States for the statement. The representative of Venezuela has asked for the floor to make a further statement. I believe, sir, you made very clear your messages in your lengthy statement before, so I'll give you one more time. But I will ask you if you can be short. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President. The government of the United States of America is stubborn in its intention to ignore international law and to lie with regard to Venezuelan legality. What does a Venezuelan ship have to do with drugs? Nothing. And it is even absurd to think that oil revenues are being used to finance drugs. It's complete madness to repeat this, and this is only magnified by propaganda. The United States claims to fight against drugs, and yet has pardoned the biggest trafficker of drugs of Latin America that was imprisoned in the United States and that trafficked some 400 tons. He was pardoned.

That is the fight of the United States against drugs. The government of the United States is doing nothing to stop its massive public health crisis when many of the drugs that are sold in the United States are manufactured by laboratories within the United States, many of them major pharmaceutical corporations. Even when they say that fentanyl is a weapon of mass destruction. The idea is to copy a line that is actually copied from the invasion of Iraq when weapons of mass destruction were invented to fool the public to accept an armed attack against Venezuela. What we've seen here is that the government of the United States does not have jurisdiction over the Caribbean when it states that it will work with the countries of the region to deal with the problem of drugs. Well, precisely it ignores them and tries to impose its power in international waters by killing innocent civilians. That is not the combat against drugs. The use of military force against innocent civilians is not combating drugs. Most importantly, the smoke screen has fallen when it has stated that it wants the entire Venezuelan oil industry. Mr. Stephen Miller stated that to return our lands, our minerals, our oil. What does that have to do with the drugs? We're talking about pillaging, looting, recolonization of Venezuela. This is a conquering of the entire region. It's the Monroe Doctrine which we thought ended 150 years ago. Mr. President, all those present here, we are facing a massive violation of all international laws and an immoral and indecorous purpose that we cannot support. Let us stop the lies. Let's work on the basis of truth and diplomacy. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Venezuela for the statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers, the meeting is adjourned.