Azernews.Az

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Tuerk said on Tuesday that the United States military operation in Venezuela, which removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power, "undermined a fundamental principle" of international law that dictates that countries must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, Azernews reports.

He added that the Venezuelan government's "appalling" human rights record does not justify unilateral military intervention.

"We fear that the current instability and further militarization in the country resulting from the US intervention will only make the situation worse," Tuerk warned. He argued that the state of emergency imposed after Maduro's capture is concerning, as it could result in restrictions on free movement, a ban on protests, and the seizure of property necessary for national defense. He called on the US and the international community to uphold international law and stressed that the future of Venezuela "must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone."