In a dramatic address before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil issued a forceful demand for the immediate liberation of President Nicolás Maduro. The detained leader remains incarcerated in New York following a controversial multinational raid on January 3rd, facing serious charges including international drug trafficking and alleged narco-terrorism activities.
Minister Gil characterized the operation that resulted in Maduro’s capture as an illegitimate political maneuver masquerading as judicial procedure. He presented detailed allegations to the international body, asserting that the military-style intervention resulted in substantial collateral damage, including more than one hundred fatalities among Venezuelan security personnel and civilians.
The diplomatic confrontation unfolds amid significant political reorganization within Venezuela’s government structure. With Maduro detained overseas, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has assumed executive authority as interim leader. Observers note that while Rodríguez has adopted a notably more measured diplomatic approach toward the United States, Foreign Minister Gil maintains Venezuela’s official position of vehement condemnation.
During his UN testimony, Gil articulated a principled critique of Washington’s actions, arguing that fundamental human rights protections must not become geopolitical weapons. ‘The application of human rights standards must remain universal rather than selective,’ declared Venezuela’s chief diplomat. ‘These fundamental protections cannot legitimately be contingent upon political alignment or ideological compatibility between nations.’
The extraordinary case represents an unprecedented escalation in the long-standing tensions between Caracas and Washington, potentially establishing consequential precedents regarding international law, sovereign immunity, and cross-border military operations against sitting heads of state.