Maduro is on trial in US, while Russia has called military operation in Venezuela "robbery"
For the first time during Donald Trump's presidency, the Russian Federation resorted to harsh public criticism of the United States at a UN Security Council meeting over events in Venezuela.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated by Vasiliy Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, during a Security Council meeting in New York.
Moscow accused Washington of violating international law in connection with the military operation in Venezuela and the capture of dictator Nicolas Maduro. The Russian side called the US actions "armed aggression" and "robbery."
Russia's statement to the UN Security Council
Vasiliy Nebenzya stated that the US operation, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban citizens, allegedly signaled a return to the era of military domination.
"We strongly condemn the act of armed aggression by the United States against Venezuela in violation of all international legal norms," said the Russian Permanent Representative to the UN.
According to him, the beginning of the year "shocked" those who expected the new US administration to respect international law, diplomacy, and the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
Moscow's reaction to US actions
Nebenzia also accused Western countries of double standards and said that the US operation allegedly poses a threat to international security and "gives new impetus to neocolonialism."
He stressed that, in Russia's view, the United States has no right to act as a "supreme judge" that independently decides who to punish, ignoring the sovereignty of other countries and international jurisdiction.
A meeting of the UN Security Council was convened to discuss the US military operation in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolas Maduro, which caused widespread international outrage.
The court hearing in the Maduro case has begun
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan dictator appeared before Federal Judge Alvin Gellerstein in Manhattan court. The judge wished everyone a good morning and stated that his job was to "ensure a fair trial for all." He read out the list of charges against Maduro. Maduro refused to plead guilty. He emphasized that he is the president of Venezuela and considers himself a prisoner. He added that he was kidnapped from his home in Caracas.
According to US Attorney General Pam Bondi, the following charges have been brought against Maduro:
- conspiracy with narco-terrorism;
- conspiracy to import cocaine;
- possession of automatic weapons and explosive devices;
- conspiracy to possess automatic weapons and explosive devices against the United States.
