The United States’ intervention in Venezuela raises “serious questions regarding international law,” the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, said on Sunday, warning of the risk of double standards and growing global polarization, according to AFP.
In a statement, Berset stressed that, as a regional multilateral organization dedicated to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, the Council of Europe considers any use of force on the territory of another state to be highly problematic under international law. He pointed in particular to the core principles of the United Nations Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-interference.
His remarks follow the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by US forces, an action that has sparked intense international debate. Berset warned that the development risks “deepening polarization in Venezuela, across the region, and globally, between those who condemn a serious violation of international law and those who view it as justified.”
“These fractures undermine the foundations of international security,” he said.
Berset also cautioned against the frequent application of double standards when discussing regime change or foreign influence, arguing that such judgments are too often shaped by strategic interests or ideological proximity rather than by consistent and shared legal principles.
“International law is universal; otherwise, it is meaningless,” he insisted, adding that “a world governed by exceptions, double standards, or competing spheres of influence is a more dangerous world.”
His comments come after US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States intends to “lead” Venezuela’s transition. In response, the Council of Europe’s secretary general called for a transition that is “peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people.”
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