(NewsNation) — The United Nations’ 15-member Security Council will meet Monday to discuss the legality of the U.S. military removing Nicolás Maduro from the Venezuelan office.
Maduro was captured by American forces Saturday at the direction of President Donald Trump. The U.S. military first conducted strikes on the capital city of Caracas before taking Maduro into custody and transporting him to New York City, where he is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday.
The U.S. has categorized Maduro’s capture as an act of self-defense, but critics contend it violated international law — including the U.N. Charter, which prohibits members from “threat or use of force” against the political independence of another country.
Members of the intergovernmental organization have accused the United States of setting a “dangerous precedent,” with a statement attributed to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warning the Trump administration’s escalation may have “worrying implications for the region.”
Colombia, which is a temporary member of the Security Council, requested the meeting, and diplomats say Russia and China backed the request.
In his letter to the council asking for this emergency meeting, Venezuela’s U.N. Ambassador Samuel Moncada called the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, part of “a colonial war” and demanded the U.S. halt military action.
The Cuban government on Sunday said 32 of its citizens were killed during the U.S. raid, a military operation criticized by Russia, China and U.S. lawmakers alike.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the actions were an “act of war.”
But the administration is standing firm, with U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz arguing, “This is not regime change, this is justice.”
NewsNation’s Anna Kutz, Michael Ramsey and Libbey Dean contributed to this report.
