MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US endangers International Law, Venezuela claims

Rodríguez accused Washington of holding double standards regarding flights to Venezuela

Venezuelan officials issued strong condemnations this week regarding the expanded US military presence in the Caribbean, accusing the United States of violating international law through attacks on civilian vessels and attempting to destabilize the government of Nicolás Maduro.

 Attorney General Tarek William Saab warned on Wednesday that the US actions, conducted under the pretext of combating drug trafficking, were leading to the “absolute extinction of international law.”

Saab stated that the US attacks on approximately 20 civilian ships in international waters since September have caused the “murder of approximately 80 people,” though the US officially reports 83 deaths.

The Attorney General emphasized that the attacks constituted a “very serious violation of public international law and international human rights law,” noting that the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea prohibits the use of lethal force against civilian vessels in international waters, except in self-defense or under UN authorization.

Saab reiterated the Chavista government's stance that the deployment —which includes the world's largest aircraft carrier, warships, and fighter jets— was a pretext to overthrow President Maduro and cause an “implosion and fracture” in the Venezuelan people's unity.

He also dismissed US claims that Maduro leads the alleged Cartel de los Soles, calling the allegations “an invention of the CIA... and the DEA.”

Meanwhile, Executive Vice President Delcy Rodríguez also sharply criticized the US strategy, contrasting its military threats with its diplomatic actions. Speaking to students at the Venezuelan University of Hydrocarbons, Rodríguez rejected the US military deployment, insisting, “The way forward is not to come and threaten us with ships, the way forward is to respect international law.”

Rodríguez insisted that Venezuela maintains energy relations with companies from Africa, Europe, and the US (citing Chevron), but only under strict principles of mutual respect, adherence to tax policies, and dividend sharing. Venezuela will not surrender its resources, she also warned.

Additionally, she denounced Washington's “double standard” by allowing repatriation flights for Venezuelan citizens —confirming the arrival of Eastern Airlines flight EAL8280 on Wednesday— while simultaneously pressuring other international carriers not to serve the South American country, with at least eight companies complying so far.