United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has described the reported capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by United States special forces as a “dangerous precedent”.

This position was contained in a statement issued on Saturday in New York by the UN Spokesperson, Mr Stéphane Dujarric.

Guterres said he is “deeply alarmed” by the prolonged standoff between the United States and Venezuela over recent months, which reportedly culminated in the early hours of Saturday with the capture of President Maduro.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that U.S. President Donald Trump announced the military operation via his Truth social media platform.

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country.

“This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement. Details to follow,” Trump posted.

In a related development, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro and his wife would face “the full wrath of American justice on American soil, in American courts”.

Maduro was indicted in New York in 2020 during the first administration of President Trump.

Reports indicate that the U.S. military operation commenced overnight with coordinated strikes in and around Caracas, the Venezuelan capital.

Following the strikes, Venezuela declared a state of national emergency, although casualty figures and the extent of damage had yet to be confirmed as of Saturday.

The Venezuelan Government strongly condemned the action, describing it as an act of “extremely serious military aggression” by the United States after months of escalating tensions between both countries.

The tension had included a significant U.S. military build-up off the Venezuelan coast and a series of deadly strikes targeting boats alleged to be involved in drug trafficking.

In recent weeks, the United States had also ordered the seizure of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers while issuing threats of possible land operations aimed at forcing Maduro out of office.

“The Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Venezuela, culminating with today’s United States military action in the country, which has potential worrying implications for the region.”

“Independently of the situation in Venezuela, these developments constitute a dangerous precedent.

“The Secretary-General continues to emphasise the importance of full respect – by all – of international law, including the UN Charter,” the statement added.

“He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected.”

Guterres urged all parties involved in the crisis to engage in “inclusive dialogue” that aligns with international law and respects human rights standards.

Meanwhile, Venezuela has formally requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York to address the situation.