UN Human Rights Chief: US Venezuela Action Makes World Less Safe

The UN's top human rights official has issued a stark warning. He says the recent US military operation in Venezuela undermines a core rule of international law. This rule forbids countries from using force to settle political disputes or claim territory. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated the action weakens the United Nations. He called the UN the world's only mechanism to prevent major conflicts. Türk said he is deeply disturbed by the event and the reaction to it. He criticized a growing narrative. This narrative tries to justify the US intervention because of Venezuela's poor human rights record under President Nicolás Maduro. The commissioner urged the international community to defend the rule of law. The principles he referenced were established after the horrors of World War Two and the Holocaust. Volker Türk has served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights since 2022.