A Review of the United Nations Position from the Perspective of International Civil Society
By Anthony Nickson
Editor-in-Chief – United States Section
Civil Society News Network (CSNN), New York Bureau
(CSNN operates within the United Nations information network)
The situation in Venezuela has reached a level that goes far beyond the conventional framework of a political crisis. From the perspective of the United Nations — and in full alignment with the UN’s official position — the current developments represent a crisis of the international order, in which human rights violations, the principle of state sovereignty, and the architecture of global security intersect in a particularly dangerous way.
Civil Society News Network (CSNN), as an international civil society media network operating within the United Nations information ecosystem, clearly adopts and reinforces this message.
State Sovereignty and the Protection of Human Rights
The response of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, to the detention of President Nicolás Maduro by the United States constitutes one of the strongest warnings issued by the United Nations in recent years.
As emphasised by the High Commissioner’s Office spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani, unilateral military intervention cannot serve as a tool for enforcing accountability for human rights violations.
From the perspective of international law, the position is unequivocal:
violations of state sovereignty and the UN Charter weaken the security of all states, regardless of the intentions declared by the intervening party.
CSNN stresses that the protection of human rights cannot come at the expense of the foundations of the international order, as this leads to the erosion of the very norms upon which the United Nations system is built.
Human Rights: Accountability, Not a Pretext
The United Nations does not deny the scale or gravity of human rights violations in Venezuela. On the contrary, the OHCHR was expelled from the country in 2024 precisely because of its consistent documentation of repression, abuses, and violence against political opponents.
At the same time, the UN position remains clear:
Accountability for crimes and human rights violations must be pursued through legal, impartial, and victim-centred mechanisms, not through military actions that violate international law.
CSNN fully shares this approach, recognising it as the only path that does not lead to further escalation of violence and institutional breakdown.
State of Emergency and the Risk of Further Repression
The declaration of a state of emergency in Venezuela — including restrictions on freedom of movement, the suspension of the right to assembly and protest, and the seizure of property under the banner of “national defence” — has raised serious concern within the United Nations.
According to the Office of the High Commissioner, there is a real risk that national security rhetoric may be used as a pretext to further suppress freedom of expression and civil society. This is a scenario the international community knows all too well — and one that the United Nations has unequivocally rejected.
Humanitarian Crisis: The Reality of Daily Life
Alongside the political crisis, a profound humanitarian emergency continues. UN data are unequivocal:
Nearly eight million people — one quarter of the population — currently require humanitarian assistance.
According to OCHA, Venezuela remains one of the least-funded humanitarian operations globally, despite the UN reaching approximately two million people with aid in 2025. Particularly alarming is the situation of around 900,000 individuals with “very high” multisectoral needs, including food, healthcare, education, and access to basic public services.
CSNN emphasises that for millions of Venezuelans, geopolitical developments do not translate into tangible improvements in daily life. The crisis persists — regardless of headlines.
Refugees and International Responsibility
The crisis in Venezuela remains one of the largest displacement crises in the world today. As reported by UNHCR, nearly 7.9 million people have left the country, with more than 6.9 million finding shelter in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The United Nations has consistently called for shared international responsibility, support for host countries, and long-term strategies for social integration and stabilisation. CSNN, as a civil society media platform, recognises this appeal as a cornerstone of global solidarity.
The CSNN Position – Fully Aligned with the United Nations
Civil Society News Network fully endorses and amplifies the position of the United Nations:
- the future of Venezuela must be determined by the Venezuelan people themselves;
- with full respect for the right to self-determination, human rights, and sovereignty;
- without unilateral military actions that violate the UN Charter;
- alongside strengthened legal accountability mechanisms and sustained humanitarian assistance.
Operating within the United Nations information network, CSNN will continue to serve as an institutional voice of international civil society, committed not to escalation, but to the protection of norms, law, and human dignity.
