International waters off Venezuela witnessed at least six U.S. strikes in recent months, killing 27 people and prompting alarm from a group of United Nations experts. They warn these actions amount to "extrajudicial executions" and breach both the international law of the sea and Venezuela's sovereignty.
Under orders from U.S. President Donald Trump, the strikes targeted suspected drug vessels the White House labels "narcoterrorist threats." Washington justifies the operation under Article 51 of the UN Charter, claiming self-defense against armed attack and pledging to inform the Security Council.
But the independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council say lethal force in international waters without proper legal basis violates fundamental obligations. They also flagged a growing U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean—guided-missile destroyers, F-35 jets, a nuclear submarine, and around 6,500 troops—as heightening regional tensions.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil praised the experts' findings, accusing the United States of fabricating enemies to justify "massacres in the Caribbean." At the same time, a senior U.S. State Department official defended the strikes as necessary to counter an "illegitimate leader" undermining regional security.
The experts warned that any covert or direct action by the CIA or other U.S. forces against Venezuela would be "an even graver breach" of the UN Charter. With both sides dug in, the standoff in the Caribbean is testing the limits of international law and sparking questions about accountability and the human cost of this naval campaign.
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Experts term U.S. strikes against Venezuela 'extrajudicial executions'
cgtn.com
