The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Venezuela: US military intervention ‘far from victory for human rights’, makes world less safe – UN rights office
The UN rights office (OHCHR) on Tuesday expressed concern over the situation in Venezuela following the United States military operation and seizure of President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, insisting that the move runs counter to international law and damages global security.
OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva that the operation “violates a fundamental principle of international law… it violates the UN Charter,” according to which States must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State.
“Using human rights arguments as a justification for this kind of military intervention is unacceptable,” Ms. Shamdasani stressed.
“Far from being a victory for human rights, this military intervention, which is in contravention of Venezuelan sovereignty and the UN Charter, damages the architecture of international security, making every country less safe,” she insisted.
“Let us not pretend that this is an action taken in defence of human rights of anyone,” the OHCHR spokesperson said, calling on the international community to come together with one voice and make clear that this action “was in contravention of the international law that was set up by Member States”.
Ms. Shamdasani further stressed that the future of Venezuela “must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination and sovereignty over their lives and their resources”.
Asked about the humanitarian situation in the country UN aid coordination office (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters that a UN plan established late last year that identifies almost eight million people, or a quarter of the Venezuelan population as being in need of humanitarian assistance.
Out of those eight million, “900,000 are considered in very high categories of multisectoral need… they need food, nutrition, education, health services, basically all the things that the state of Venezuela has not been able to provide to its citizens for a number of years,” Mr. Laerke said.
The OCHA spokesperson added that Venezuela was one of the least-funded aid operations but despite challenges the UN managed to reach some two million people with aid in 2025.
-ENDS-
STORY Venezuela UN reactions – OHCHR, OCHA
TRT: 2:36”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 6 JANUARY 2026 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Exterior wide shot: Palais des Nations, Flag Alley.
2. Wide shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference, speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.
3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): “This operation violates a fundamental principle of international law. It violates the UN Charter. The Charter states that States must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, and this is what we are seeing. Now, using human rights arguments as a justification for this kind of military intervention is unacceptable.”
4. Wide shot: Speaker on screens; journalists in the Press room.
5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): “Far from being a victory for human rights, this military intervention, which is in contravention of Venezuelan sovereignty and the UN Charter, damages the architecture of international security, making every country less safe.”
6. Medium shot: Journalist in the Press room.
7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): “Let us not pretend that this is an action taken in defence of human rights of anyone. This is an action that was taken in contravention of international law, and that is, that is clear. And the international community needs to come together with one voice to insist on that, to make that clear that this is an action that was in contravention of the international law that was set up by Member States.”
8. Wide shot: Journalists in the Press room.
9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR): “UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk calls on the US and the Venezuelan authorities, as well as the international community, to ensure full respect for international law, including human rights. The future of Venezuela must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination and sovereignty over their lives and their resources.”
10. Medium shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference; speaker on screens.
11. SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “We have been responding to the humanitarian situation in in Venezuela for a number of years. We do have a plan that was established late last year that identifies almost eight million people, a quarter of the population being in need of humanitarian assistance.”
12. Wide shot: Speakers at the podium of the press conference.
13. SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “900,000 are considered in very high categories of multisectoral need. What does that mean? That means that they need, basically, food, nutrition, education, health services, basically all the things that the state of Venezuela has not been able to provide to its citizens for a number of years.”
14. Various shots of journalists in the Press room.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Venezuela earthquake aftermath: ‘breakdown of basic services’, disease risks and health workers missing – UN agencies
As search and rescue operations continue in Venezuela thousands of displaced people are struggling to find shelter while infectious diseases threaten to spread, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today addressed the 62 Human Rights Council and made the following remarks on the report on Venezuela.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN Human Rights Office on Friday called for action to prevent more deaths in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, as well as for investigations and accountability.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , IOM , paho , UNHCR , OHCHR , IFRC
Aid agencies on Friday highlighted massive needs across Venezuela caused by a double earthquake disaster that has killed at least 235 people so far, with search and rescue for people trapped under the rubble still the top priority.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango made the following remarks at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, on the latest report on sexual violence in the Sudanese conflict.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IOM , IFRC
Ebola in DRC: first month of outbreak sees record number of cases – UN humanitarians
Ebola has been spreading at unprecedented speed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), bringing risk and fear into people’s daily lives, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Afghanistan in Crisis: Drought, Malnutrition, and a Worsening Humanitarian Situation
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , OCHA
After another deadly night of clashes in Lebanon, aid agencies issued a new alert for Gaza, where 265 Palestinian children have been killed since a ceasefire was announced in October 2025.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | IAEA
The head of the UN’s atomic energy agency on Thursday welcomed the signing of an initial Iran-US memorandum aimed at ending the war, before proposing “to sit down” with both parties to assist with concrete measures including verification of Iran’s nuclear programme, a critical sticking point.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , IFRC
‘Some people question whether Ebola is real’: trust is central in fighting DRC outbreak, humanitarians say
In Ebola-stricken Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), winning the race against the disease requires earning the community’s trust first and foremost, humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Monday 15 June delivered his Global Update to the 62nd UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
2
1
1
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC
As representatives of Iran and the United States reportedly prepared to sign a new peace agreement at the end of the week, the UN on Monday stressed the urgent need to open an aid corridor to transit the choked-off Strait of Hormuz and prevent a global hunger crisis.