UN (United Nations) experts condemned, this Wednesday (24), the naval blockade imposed by the United States against oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
“There is no right to impose unilateral sanctions through
The assessment was signed by independent expert George Katrougalos and special rapporteurs Ben Saul, Surya Deva and Gina Romero.
They highlighted that blockades are considered the use of military force against another country, prohibited by the United Nations Charter.
“This is a use of force so serious that it is expressly recognized as illegal armed aggression in the Definition of Aggression adopted by the General Assembly in 1974,” they added.
“Therefore, this is an armed attack under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which, in principle, guarantees the victim State the right to self-defense,” they added.
The experts assessed that “the illegal use of force and threats to use even more force at sea and on land put the human right to life and other rights in Venezuela and the region at serious risk.”
They called for all possible measures to be taken urgently to end the naval blockade and attacks on boats believed to be transporting drugs in the Pacific and Caribbean.
“Respect for the rule of law, sovereignty, the prohibition of the use of force, non-intervention and the peaceful resolution of disputes are fundamental pillars for the preservation of global peace and stability”, they concluded.
For almost four months, Washington has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, much of it off the Venezuelan coast, supposedly to combat drug trafficking — an allegation that Venezuela has denounced as a veiled attempt to promote regime change in Caracas.
On Tuesday (16), US President Donald Trump said he had ordered a total blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, intensifying a months-long pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Amid constant boat attacks, Trump has also repeatedly stated in recent weeks that the US military would begin ground attacks against drug traffickers in the Caribbean country “very soon.”
In another development, Russia on Thursday (18) urged the US government not to make a “fatal mistake” regarding Venezuela, warning of unpredictable consequences for the West.
