UN Calls for Calm as US Strikes Heighten Caribbean Tensions

A wide view of the Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security.

The United Nations on Friday warned of growing risks to regional peace after a series of US military strikes on boats accused of drug trafficking left at least 21 people dead in the southern Caribbean. The attacks prompted Venezuela to declare a state of emergency and denounce the operations as a violation of international law.

Briefing ambassadors at the Security Council, UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča said the US operations, conducted between 2 September and 3 October, had heightened tensions across the region and drawn sharp criticism from Caracas.

“Venezuelan authorities have announced that they remain on high alert since the United States military deployments were first reported in August,” he said, noting that President Nicolás Maduro has mobilised 4.5 million members of the Bolivarian Militia to support the armed forces.

According to US authorities, the strikes targeted vessels in international waters carrying illegal drugs bound for the United States. Eleven people were reportedly killed in the first attack on 2 September, with subsequent operations bringing the total number of reported fatalities to 21.

The exact locations of the incidents have not been publicly disclosed, and the UN has not been able to independently verify these reports.

Mr. Jenča stated that Washington defended its actions as consistent with international law and necessary to protect American citizens from the flow of illicit drugs from South and Central America.

“A White House spokesperson said that the President acted in line with the law of armed conflict, seeking to protect the US from those trying to bring deadly poison to its shores,” he told the Security Council.

Venezuelan officials, however, view the strikes as provocative and a violation of their sovereignty. Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the UN wrote to the Security Council on 9 October, claiming that the
Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the UN wrote to the Security Council on 9 October, claiming that the

“ulterior purpose” of the US actions was to “advance its policies of regime change.”

Caracas also reported overflights by US fighter jets near its shores and the detention of a fishing vessel in Venezuelan waters, while Washington said that two Venezuelan military aircraft flew over a US Navy vessel in international waters.

The UN has repeatedly urged both parties to exercise restraint and resolve differences through peaceful means.

Mr. Jenča emphasised that efforts to counter drug trafficking “must be carried out in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter,” and that any use of force must respect human rights standards.

“The United Nations recognises the devastating impact of violence driven by transnational organised crime, which affects production, transit, and destination countries alike,” he said.

“We continue to emphasise that all efforts to counter transnational organised crime must comply with international law.”

He added that the UN would continue to support diplomatic dialogue and measures to prevent further escalation, calling on both Washington and Caracas to prioritise de-escalation and constructive engagement.