A group of independent United Nations experts has condemned recent U.S. military strikes against vessels linked to Venezuela as a dangerous escalation and a violation of international law, calling the actions “extrajudicial executions.”

The strikes, ordered by President Donald Trump, targeted at least six suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean over recent months, reportedly killing 27 people. Washington describes the operations as part of its ongoing campaign against what it calls a “narcoterrorist threat” emanating from Venezuela under President Nicolas Maduro.

The U.N. experts, appointed by the Human Rights Council, acknowledged Trump’s stated rationale but said lethal force in international waters without a legal basis violates the international law of the sea. They warned the strikes also infringe on Venezuela’s sovereignty and breach the United States’ “fundamental international obligations” not to intervene in another nation’s domestic affairs.

“These moves are an extremely dangerous escalation with grave implications for peace and security in the Caribbean region,” the experts said in a statement.

U.S. Response

A senior U.S. State Department official rejected the criticism, saying the experts were siding with “an illegitimate leader who is a fugitive of American justice” and undermines regional security. The official spoke on condition of anonymity.

The United States has argued that its actions fall under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter, which allows self-defense against armed attacks while requiring Security Council notification.

Venezuelan Reaction

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil welcomed the experts’ statement, saying it confirmed Caracas’ concerns. “The United States fabricates enemies to justify a supposed right to self-defense, which results in massacres in the Caribbean,” he said on Telegram.

The strikes come amid a broader U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, including guided-missile destroyers, F-35 jets, a nuclear submarine, and approximately 6,500 troops. President Trump has also authorized CIA covert operations in Venezuela, escalating tensions further.

The U.N. experts stressed that covert or direct military action against a sovereign state would constitute “an even graver breach” of the U.N. Charter, raising concerns about the potential for further destabilization in the region.

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