{"id":677615,"date":"2026-01-06T11:59:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:59:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/677615\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T11:59:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T11:59:14","slug":"us-raid-on-venezuela-undermined-a-fundamental-principle-of-international-law-says-un-rights-body-live-us-attack-on-venezuela","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/677615\/","title":{"rendered":"US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live | US attack on Venezuela"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It is &#8216;clear&#8217; the US raid on Venezuela &#8216;undermined a fundamental principle of international law&#8217;, UN human rights office says<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A <strong>spokesperson<\/strong> for the UN high commissioner for human rights, <strong>Volker T\u00fcrk<\/strong>, has said it is \u201c<strong>clear<\/strong>\u201d that the US military operation to capture Maduro and his wife over the weekend \u201c<strong>undermined a fundamental principle of international law<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a statement, the spokesperson said T\u00fcrk, a career UN official and human rights lawyer, is \u201c<strong>deeply worried<\/strong>\u201d about the \u201csituation in Venezuela\u201d, which has left many Venezuelans fearful as the country\u2019s acting president, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, starts presiding under the apparent supervision of Washington, with Trump vowing to take control of Venezuela\u2019s oil industry with the help of America\u2019s biggest oil companies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Here is more of the statement issued by the spokesperson for the UN high commissioner for human rights:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>It is clear that the operation undermined a fundamental principle of international law \u2013 <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">that <\/strong><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">states must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The US has justified its intervention on the grounds of t<strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">he Venezuelan government\u2019s longstanding and appalling human rights record<\/strong>, but accountability for human rights violations cannot be achieved by unilateral military intervention in violation of international law. The people of Venezuela deserve accountability through a fair, victim-centred process.<\/p>\n<p>As has been clear in the UN Human Rights Office\u2019s consistent reporting on the continued deterioration of the situation in Venezuela for about a decade, the rights of the Venezuelan people have been violated for too long. <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">We fear that the current instability and further militari<\/strong><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">sation in the country resulting from the US intervention will only make the situation worse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cdf868f088150d1a33b3d#block-695cdf868f088150d1a33b3d\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a005.34 EST<\/p>\n<p>Key events<\/p>\n<p>Show key events only<\/p>\n<p>Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Protestors have gathered outside the US embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, to demonstrate against the US attack in Venezuela:<\/p>\n<p>Activists hold posters during a protest against the US\u2019s attack on Venezuela outside the US embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. Photograph: Willy Kurniawan\/ReutersActivists carrying posters and a Venezuelan flag attend the protest outside the US embassy in Jakarta. Photograph: Willy Kurniawan\/ReutersActivists step on a poster with the image of US President Donald Trump in Jakarta. Photograph: Willy Kurniawan\/Reuters<a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cf4fa8f08cf9754d8e404#block-695cf4fa8f08cf9754d8e404\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">If you would like to hear some reflections on Donald Trump\u2019s first year in power (this time around) you can join our upcoming event: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events\/2025\/oct\/27\/guardian-newsroom-is-britain-heading-the-way-of-trumps-america\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Year One of Trumpism: Is Britain Emulating the US?<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">On Wednesday 21 January 2026, join Jonathan Freedland, Tania Branigan and Nick Lowles as they discuss the first year of Trump\u2019s second presidency. Book tickets <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events\/2025\/oct\/27\/guardian-newsroom-is-britain-heading-the-way-of-trumps-america\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> or at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/guardian-live-events\/2025\/oct\/27\/guardian-newsroom-is-britain-heading-the-way-of-trumps-america\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">guardian.live<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cf3be8f0864e897de9df6#block-695cf3be8f0864e897de9df6\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a006.54 EST<\/p>\n<p>US trial of Maduro undermines stability of international relations, China&#8217;s foreign ministry says<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Amy_Hawkins.png\" alt=\"Amy Hawkins\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/>Amy Hawkins<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Amy Hawkins is the Guardian\u2019s senior China correspondent<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">China\u2019s foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that the trial of Venezuelan leader <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/nicolas-maduro\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> in New York \u201cseverely violat[ed] Venezuela\u2019s national sovereignty\u201d and undermined the stability of international relations.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The comments came the day after a China-backed emergency meeting at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/05\/un-security-council-trump-attack-venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UN Security Council<\/a> in which countries condemned the US\u2019s military operation to capture Maduro as illegal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Venezuela is a key China ally in Latin America. The South American country has received over $100bn in Chinese loans and Maduro\u2019s last meeting was with a Chinese delegation visiting Caracas, who he greeted <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/05\/venezuela-trump-attack-china-interests-analysis\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hours before<\/a> he was captured by US forces.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695ce6f48f0864efa422e4c1#block-695ce6f48f0864efa422e4c1\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Here is some more of the statement on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a> from the spokesperson for the UN high commissioner for human rights:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">The state of emergency declared by the Venezuelan authorities that took effect on Saturday raises concerns<\/strong> <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">as it authorises<\/strong> <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">restrictions on free movement of people, the seizure of property necessary for national defence, and the suspension of the right to assembly and to protest<\/strong>, among other measures.<\/p>\n<p>The high commissioner calls on the US and the Venezuelan authorities, as well as the international community, to ensure full respect for international law, including human rights.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">The future of Venezuela must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone<\/strong>, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination, and sovereignty over their lives and their resources.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695ce5988f0864efa422e4ab#block-695ce5988f0864efa422e4ab\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a005.45 EST<\/p>\n<p>It is &#8216;clear&#8217; the US raid on Venezuela &#8216;undermined a fundamental principle of international law&#8217;, UN human rights office says<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A <strong>spokesperson<\/strong> for the UN high commissioner for human rights, <strong>Volker T\u00fcrk<\/strong>, has said it is \u201c<strong>clear<\/strong>\u201d that the US military operation to capture Maduro and his wife over the weekend \u201c<strong>undermined a fundamental principle of international law<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In a statement, the spokesperson said T\u00fcrk, a career UN official and human rights lawyer, is \u201c<strong>deeply worried<\/strong>\u201d about the \u201csituation in Venezuela\u201d, which has left many Venezuelans fearful as the country\u2019s acting president, Delcy Rodr\u00edguez, starts presiding under the apparent supervision of Washington, with Trump vowing to take control of Venezuela\u2019s oil industry with the help of America\u2019s biggest oil companies.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Here is more of the statement issued by the spokesperson for the UN high commissioner for human rights:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>It is clear that the operation undermined a fundamental principle of international law \u2013 <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">that <\/strong><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">states must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The US has justified its intervention on the grounds of t<strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">he Venezuelan government\u2019s longstanding and appalling human rights record<\/strong>, but accountability for human rights violations cannot be achieved by unilateral military intervention in violation of international law. The people of Venezuela deserve accountability through a fair, victim-centred process.<\/p>\n<p>As has been clear in the UN Human Rights Office\u2019s consistent reporting on the continued deterioration of the situation in Venezuela for about a decade, the rights of the Venezuelan people have been violated for too long. <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">We fear that the current instability and further militari<\/strong><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">sation in the country resulting from the US intervention will only make the situation worse<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cdf868f088150d1a33b3d#block-695cdf868f088150d1a33b3d\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a005.34 EST<\/p>\n<p>Maduro\u2019s legal team includes acclaimed lawyer who represented Julian Assange<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Adam-Gabbatt,-R.png\" alt=\"Adam Gabbatt\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/>Adam Gabbatt<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Adam Gabbatt is a writer and presenter for Guardian US, based in New York<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">When <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/nicolas-maduro\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> appeared in court in New York on Monday, his choice of lawyer quickly raised eyebrows.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The captured <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuelan<\/a> president was accompanied by <strong>Barry Pollack<\/strong>, a top-tier US trial lawyer who spent years representing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media\/julian-assange\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Julian Assange<\/a>, eventually securing the WikiLeaks founder\u2019s release from prison in the UK in 2024.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pollack is a partner at Harris St Laurent &amp; Wechsler, a law firm based on New York\u2019s Wall Street in the financial district of lower Manhattan, just a few minutes walk from the federal court where Maduro pleaded not guilty to criminal charges on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>Lawyer Barry Pollack speaks in Canberra, Australia, on 26 June 2024. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Pollack will take on a case as Maduro\u2019s private counsel that could prove to be just as challenging as that of Assange. Maduro was charged on Monday with drug-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine-importation conspiracy, and possession of machine guns and destructive devices, with the US government labelling Maduro a \u201cnarco-terrorist\u201d and an \u201cillegitimate president\u201d. He faces up to life in prison.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Harris St Laurent &amp; Wechsler did not respond to requests for comment about Pollack\u2019s involvement, but it is clear that in the legal world, he is highly regarded. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/chambers.com\/lawyer\/barry-j-pollack-usa-5:498918\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chambers USA<\/a>, Pollack is a \u201cthorough and deep-thinking lawyer\u201d who \u201clives, breathes and sleeps trials, and has such a natural way in front of juries\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">You can read the full story here:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cddb98f0864cb33d54458#block-695cddb98f0864cb33d54458\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Among the international laws the US may have breached, if it provides no justification for the attacks, is the founding charter of the UN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Article 2 of the UN charter<\/strong> says all members should refrain from \u201cthe threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">My colleague <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/geraldine-mckelvie\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Geraldine McKelvie<\/a><strong> <\/strong>spoke to leading experts in the field of international law to ask for their view on the US attack on Venezuela. Here is an extract from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/03\/is-there-any-legal-justification-for-the-us-attack-on-venezuela-trump-maduro\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">her story<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>The experts the Guardian spoke to agreed that the US is likely to have violated the terms of the UN charter, which was signed in October 1945 and designed to prevent another conflict on the scale of the second world war. A central provision of this agreement \u2013 known as article 2(4) \u2013 rules that states must refrain from using military force against other countries and must respect their sovereignty.<\/p>\n<p>Geoffrey Robertson KC, a founding head of Doughty Street Chambers and a former president of the UN war crimes court in Sierra Leone, said the attack on Venezuela was contrary to article 2(4) of the charter. \u201cThe reality is that America is in breach of the United Nations charter,\u201d he added. \u201c<strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">It has committed the crime of aggression, which the court at Nuremberg described as the supreme crime, it\u2019s the worst crime of all<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cd4b78f08aeb121474648#block-695cd4b78f08aeb121474648\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The UK\u2019s foreign secretary, <strong>Yvette Cooper<\/strong>, made a statement in the House of Commons on Monday about the US raid on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Cooper told the Commons she had stressed the importance of international law in a conversation with the US secretary of state, <strong>Marco Rubio<\/strong>, but would not say whether she saw the US attack as illegal, saying it was for Washington to set out its justification.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A large section of her statement focused on the brutality of Nicol\u00e1s Maduro\u2019s dictatorship. \u201cWe have seen Maduro\u2019s regime systematically dismantle democratic institutions, silencing dissent and weaponizing state resources to maintain power through fear and corruption,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Cooper added:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>I discussed with Secretary Rubio what should happen next and our continued commitment to a transition to a peaceful and stable democracy.<\/p>\n<p>Our collective immediate focus must be on avoiding any deterioration in Venezuela into further instability, criminality or violence. That would be deeply damaging for the people of Venezuela, our own overseas territories, our allies in the US and other regional partners.<\/p>\n<p>The UK has long been clear that leadership of Venezuela must reflect the will of the Venezuelan people.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">You can read her full statement on Venezuela <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/speeches\/foreign-secretary-statement-to-the-house-on-venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Yvette Cooper said she reminded Marco Rubio of his duties under international law after US strikes on Venezuela. Photograph: House of Commons\/UK Parliament\/PA<a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cceff8f085ac3c3a8da9b#block-695cceff8f085ac3c3a8da9b\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a004.09 EST<\/p>\n<p>British PM choosing his &#8216;words carefully&#8217; over response to US attack on Venezuela, health secretary says<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the UK, the health secretary <strong>Wes Streeting<\/strong> has defended Keir Starmer\u2019s cautious response to the US attack in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a> despite MPs wanting the prime minister to condemn what is seen as an operation against a sovereign country in violation of international law.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Starmer, always keen to keep on the good side of the US, has declined to criticise the US military operation over the weekend, unlike several Labour MPs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/politics\/2026\/jan\/05\/venezuela-attack-embolden-china-russia-uk-labour-emily-thornberry\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">including Emily Thornberry<\/a>, who chairs the Commons foreign affairs committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Streeting told BBC Breakfast this morning that he had \u201cenormous respect\u201d for Thornberry, who was \u201cright\u201d to speak \u201chonestly and candidly\u201d about her view (that the lack of western condemnation could embolden China and Russia to take similar action against other countries).<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But he added:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>The prime minister and the foreign secretary have a different role and responsibility, and <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">their words carry different weight<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>And what I can tell you is that at every moment in recent days, since the US action in Venezuela, the prime minister has judged what he says and when he says it with one overriding consideration, which is how to make a challenging situation better, not worse, and how to do so in a way that protects the UK\u2019s national interests, our collective security, <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">particularly in Europe at a difficult time<\/strong>, and also the best interests of the people of Venezuela who have the right to choose their own leaders and who governs them.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s what the prime minister has been doing, and I appreciate there are others who have been more strident and have been more critical of the United States.<\/p>\n<p>The prime minister has a different responsibility, and <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">he is choosing his words carefully and wisely<\/strong> to try and influence how events unfold from here on.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695ccb4e8f08c8e556cdf1bb#block-695ccb4e8f08c8e556cdf1bb\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a003.52 EST<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">My colleague <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/profile\/sibyllabrodzinsky\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sibylla Brodzinsky<\/a> has reported on the relationship between the US and Colombia, home to significant oil reserves. Here is an extract from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/05\/trump-colombia-invasion-petro\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">her story<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington but <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">relations have soured dramatically since Trump came to offic<\/strong>e.<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">Colombia\u2019s narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups<\/strong> such as the Gulf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) guerrilla group, the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal \u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">Many among Colombia\u2019s right wing opposition have allied themselves with Trump<\/strong>, but voices from across the political spectrum have rejected the threats of a US attack on Colombia.<\/p>\n<p>The US <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2025\/sep\/28\/i-dont-care-colombia-president-petro-hits-back-after-us-revokes-his-visa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">revoked the Petro\u2019s visa in September<\/a> after he called on American soldiers to disobey any illegal orders. In October, it placed financial sanctions on Petro, his wife and several close collaborators.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time the US was building up its military presence in the Caribbean and bombing suspected drug boats to put pressure on Venezuela\u2019s Maduro, US forces have also conducted strikes on boats in the eastern Pacific region to the west of the Colombian coast.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cbda08f08c8e556cdf145#block-695cbda08f08c8e556cdf145\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">After the deadly US military operation to capture Nicol\u00e1s Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their Caracas compound on Saturday, tensions between the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/trump-administration\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trump administration<\/a> and Colombian President <strong>Gustavo Petro<\/strong> are boiling over.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said Colombia was \u201c<strong>very sick too<\/strong>\u201d and \u201crun by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201c<strong>He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and is not going to be doing it very long<\/strong>,\u201d Trump said.<\/p>\n<p>Gustavo Petro is a former leftist guerrilla who demobilised in the 1990s. Photograph: Thierry Monasse\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">While Colombia is the world\u2019s largest producer of cocaine there is no evidence that Petro, who condemned the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/us-attack-on-venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">US attack on Venezuela<\/a> as an \u201cassault on the sovereignty\u201d of Latin America, is in any way involved in the business.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/petrogustavo\/status\/2008063024343515623\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">In a lengthy post on X<\/a>, Petro, who was elected in 2022, wrote yesterday:<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>If you bomb even one of these groups without sufficient intelligence, you will kill many children. <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">If you bomb peasants, thousands of guerrillas will return in the mountains<\/strong>. <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">And<\/strong> <strong class=\"dcr-in3yi3\">if you arrest the president whom a good part of my people want and respect, you will unleash the popular jaguar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">As well as Colombia, the Trump administration could target Cuba, Mexico, Greenland or Iran next. His recent attack in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a> \u2013 considered illegal under international law by many observers and experts \u2013 reaffirms the extent of American military power and the way the US can act overseas with little repercussions.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cb8ec8f08aeb121474597#block-695cb8ec8f08aeb121474597\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a005.06 EST<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">What exactly is the US accusing <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/strong> of and what\u2019s in the criminal indictment against him that was unveiled by attorney general <strong>Pam Bondi<\/strong> at the weekend?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The US alleges the deposed Venezuelan president has spent the past two decades working with international drug trafficking groups.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He pleaded not guilty \u2013 as did his wife, <strong>Cilia Flores<\/strong>, who said she was \u201ccompletely innocent\u201d \u2013 at their court appearance in New York.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">What are the charges, how comprehensive is the indictment and who might be helping US prosecutors? This explainer has the details.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695caf758f085ac3c3a8d9e0#block-695caf758f085ac3c3a8d9e0\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Returning now to <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/strong>\u2019s court appearance in New York, the deposed Venezuelan president pleaded not guilty to drugs, weapons and narco-terrorism charges on Monday, two days after his capture by US forces.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The brevity and formality of the arraignment hearing in federal court \u2013 barely 30 minutes long, during which Maduro was asked to confirm his name and that he understood <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/05\/nicolas-maduro-venezuela-criminal-indictment\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the four charges against him<\/a> \u2013 belied the far-reaching consequences of the US action, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/jan\/05\/maduro-pleads-not-guilty\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">report Victoria Bekiempis and Richard Luscombe<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Maduro, 63, insisted to the judge that he was \u201cstill president of my country\u201d, had been illegally \u201ccaptured\u201d at his Caracas home and was \u201ca prisoner of war\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI am innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man,\u201d Maduro said in Spanish during repeated attempts to speak over the judge.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The full report is here:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695cabc48f08aeb12147454b#block-695cabc48f08aeb12147454b\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Dara Kerr<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Minutes after <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> announced a \u201clarge-scale strike\u201d against Venezuela early on Saturday, false and misleading AI-generated images began flooding social media. There were fake photos of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/nicolas-maduro\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a> being escorted off a plane by US agents, images of jubilant Venezuelans pouring into the streets of Caracas and videos of missiles raining down on the city \u2013 all fake.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The fabricated content intermixed with real videos and photos of US aircraft flying over the Venezuelan capital and explosions lighting up the dark sky. A lack of verified information about the raid coupled with AI tools\u2019 rapidly advancing capabilities made discerning fact from fiction about the incursion on Caracas difficult.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">By the time Trump posted a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/01\/04\/insider\/how-the-times-assessed-maduro-photos.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">verified photo<\/a> of Maduro blindfolded and handcuffed aboard a US warship, the fake images with the US drug enforcement agents had already gone viral. Across X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, the AI photos have been seen and shared millions of times, according to the factchecking site NewsGuard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">See the full story here:<\/p>\n<p>Maduro supporters protest near a mural of him in Caracas on Monday. Photograph: Jonathan Lanza\/UPI\/Shutterstock<a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695ca7d28f085ac3c3a8d9c8#block-695ca7d28f085ac3c3a8d9c8\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a001.26 EST<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Fresh from his military operation in Venezuela, <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> has said the US needs Greenland \u201cvery badly\u201d, renewing fears of a US invasion of the largely autonomous island that remains part of the Danish kingdom.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Greenland prime minister <strong>Jens-Frederik Nielsen<\/strong> pushed back on Monday against Trump\u2019s calls to annex the Arctic territory, while Danish prime minister <strong>Mette Frederiksen<\/strong> warned that any US attack on a Nato ally would be the end of the military alliance and \u201cpost-second world war security\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Here\u2019s a video taking us through it, including Nielsen starting by saying: \u201cFirst of all I would say that our country is not really the right one to compare with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Denmark, Greenland push back on Trump remarks, say Greenland not for conquest - video\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/8640.jpg\" height=\"259\" width=\"460\" class=\"dcr-1qi2at0\"\/>Denmark, Greenland push back on Trump remarks, say Greenland not for conquest &#8211; video<a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695ca04e8f08aeb12147451b#block-695ca04e8f08aeb12147451b\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a001.08 EST<\/p>\n<p>Victoria Bekiempis<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">At noon on Monday in New York, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/nicolas-maduro\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a><\/strong> was escorted into a Manhattan federal courtroom following his capture early on Saturday in Caracas, completing the seized <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuelan<\/a> leader\u2019s stunning journey from his capital city to a US courtroom.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">It was a surreal display amid the fallout of a brazen US military operation to grab Maduro that has roiled global politics and stunned observers in the US and overseas.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In Manhattan the spectacle played out as Maduro\u2019s larger-than-life persona soon filled Judge <strong>Alvin Hellerstein<\/strong>\u2019s courtroom with a mixture of bravado, seriousness, jocularity and defiance.<\/p>\n<p>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro (front, standing) and his wife Cilia Flores (right) in a courtroom sketch.  Photograph: Jane Rosenberg\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Maduro, who was not handcuffed but constrained by ankle shackles, looked forward, toward the jury box, as he walked into court. Before sitting down, Maduro told the public gallery \u201cHappy new year!\u201d in English.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">His wife, <strong>Cilia Flores<\/strong>, followed shortly after, and she had two large Band-Aids on her face.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Proceedings started in earnest with an exchange of greetings that did little to hint at the enormous significance of the events playing out in the room.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">You can read the full account here:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695c9b018f08c8e556cdf088#block-695c9b018f08c8e556cdf088\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/David_Smith.png\" alt=\"David Smith\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/>David Smith<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The United States has faced widespread condemnation for a \u201ccrime of aggression\u201d in Venezuela at an emergency meeting of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/unitednations\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">United Nations<\/a> security council.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Spain were among countries that have denounced the weekend US attack in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line \u2026 and set an extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community,\u201d <strong>S\u00e9rgio Fran\u00e7a Danese<\/strong>, the Brazilian ambassador to the UN, told the meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Donald Trump<\/strong>\u2019s UN ambassador, <strong>Mike Waltz<\/strong>, defended the attack as a legitimate \u201claw enforcement\u201d action to execute longstanding criminal indictments against an \u201cillegitimate\u201d leader, not an act of war.<\/p>\n<p>The UN security council meeting in New York. Photograph: Brendan McDermid\/Reuters<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Ant\u00f3nio Guterres<\/strong>, the UN secretary general, warned that the capture of Maduro risked intensifying instability in Venezuela and across the region. He questioned whether the operation respected the rules of international law.<\/p>\n<blockquote data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-154zxly\">\n<p>I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695c98298f085ac3c3a8d975#block-695c98298f085ac3c3a8d975\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a002.10 EST<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">More than a dozen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-detains-journalists-after-nicolas-maduros-captured\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media workers were detained<\/a> on Monday while covering events in the Venezuelan capital, including a march in support of ousted president <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro <\/strong>and the swearing-in of the country\u2019s new legislature, the Venezuelan press association said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">All 14 of those detained in Caracas were later released, the National Union of Press Workers (SNTP) posted on X, though one was a foreign journalist who was deported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Reuters quoted the SNTP as saying those detained included 11 people working with international media outlets and one with a national outlet.<\/p>\n<p>Chavismo supporters march in support of the start of the National Assembly in Caracas on Monday.  Photograph: Ronald Pena R\/EPA<a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695c94368f08c8e556cdf068#block-695c94368f08c8e556cdf068\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a000.04 EST<\/p>\n<p>Opening summary<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Welcome to our live coverage of the continuing aftermath of the US military\u2019s weekend raid on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a> and removal of president <strong>Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/strong> from power.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace prize winner <strong>Mar\u00eda Corina Machado<\/strong> has said in her first televised interview since then that she hasn\u2019t spoken to <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> since October 2025.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cActually, I spoke with president Trump on October 10, the same day the [Nobel Peace] prize was announced, [but] not since then,\u201d Machado said on Fox News. Machado \u2013 widely seen as Maduro\u2019s most credible opponent \u2013 left <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/venezuela\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Venezuela<\/a> last month to travel to Norway to accept the award and hasn\u2019t returned since.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI\u2019m planning to go as soon as possible back home,\u201d she told Fox when asked about her plans to return to Venezuela.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Trump on Saturday dismissed the idea of working with Machado, saying: \u201cShe doesn\u2019t have the support within or the respect within the country.\u201d US media reported on Monday that a classified CIA assessment presented to Trump concluded that senior Maduro loyalists, including interim president <strong>Delcy Rodr\u00edguez<\/strong>, were best positioned to maintain stability.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Despite this, Machado welcomed the US actions as \u201ca huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Delcy Rodr\u00edguez (in green) is sworn in as Venezuela\u2019s interim president on Monday after Maduro\u2019s capture by US forces.  Photograph: Marcelo Garcia\/Miraflores Palace\/Reuters<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In other key developments:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\n<li class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Mike Johnson<\/strong>, the Republican speaker of the US House, emerged from a classified briefing for congressional leaders insisting that \u201cwe are not at war\u201d and \u201cthis is not a regime change\u201d but \u201ca demand for a change of behaviour by a regime\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\"><strong>Chuck Schumer<\/strong>, the Senate\u2019s Democratic minority leader, expressed discontent with the briefing, calling the Trump administration\u2019s \u201cplan for the US \u2018running Venezuela\u2019 \u2026 vague, based on wishful thinking and unsatisfying\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The reported appearance of unidentified drones over the presidential palace in Venezuela\u2019s capital on Monday night filled the night sky with <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Osinttechnical\/status\/2008334854811709845\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">the sound of heavy gunfire<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Osinttechnical\/status\/2008340796546629679\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">tracer fire<\/a> as the regime\u2019s security forces reacted to what they mistook for another raid.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Trump suggested <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/donald-trump\/trump-says-us-not-war-venezuela-rcna252427\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">to NBC News<\/a> that US taxpayers could fund the rebuilding of Venezuela\u2019s infrastructure for extracting and shipping oil. \u201cA tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it, and then they\u2019ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">White House adviser <strong>Stephen Miller<\/strong> reaffirmed to CNN the Trump administration\u2019s position on Greenland becoming a part of the US.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"mailto:?subject=US raid on Venezuela \u2018undermined a fundamental principle of international law\u2019, says UN rights body \u2013 live&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2026\/jan\/06\/venezuela-live-updates-maduro-trump-us-attack-opposition-machado-return?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-695c80ce8f085ac3c3a8d8f6#block-695c80ce8f085ac3c3a8d8f6\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1mulgdf\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a006.34 EST<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It is &#8216;clear&#8217; the US raid on Venezuela &#8216;undermined a fundamental principle of international law&#8217;, UN human rights&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":677616,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[13,12,14],"class_list":{"0":"post-677615","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-headlines","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-top-stories"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115848043908701149","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677615","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=677615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/677615\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/677616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=677615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=677615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=677615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}