New York City, U.S. – Venezuela has accused the United States of waging an unofficial war aimed at toppling President Nicolas Maduro, claiming that the US harbors “continental ambitions” across Latin America.

The warning came during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on December 24, 2025, when Venezuela’s UN ambassador, Samuel Moncada, detailed what he described as ongoing US military aggression and economic coercion.

Venezuela: US Seeks to Divide and Conquer

• Moncada said: “It’s not just about Venezuela. The ambition is continental. Venezuela is only the first target of a larger plan. The US government wants us divided so it can conquer us piece by piece.”
• He claimed that the US National Security Strategy signals an intent to dominate the Latin American continent.

Earlier this month, Venezuela requested the UNSC to address “ongoing US aggression”, which began in September with air strikes on vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, allegedly targeting ships trafficking drugs to the United States.

• Venezuelan authorities report at least 105 people killed in these attacks, which legal experts and Latin American leaders call extrajudicial killings.

Naval Blockade and Oil Seizures

Moncada condemned the recent US naval blockade on Venezuelan oil tankers as a military act:

• The US seized at least two oil tankers and confiscated around 4 million barrels of Venezuelan oil.
• Moncada called the action a “robbery carried out by military force,” emphasizing that the US is targeting oil, minerals, and land, not drugs or security.

Under international law, a blockade constitutes an act of war, although the US has framed its actions as law enforcement carried out by the coastguard.

US Response: Focus on Drug Cartels

US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, defended the actions, citing the threat from Latin American drug cartels, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and the Cartel de los Soles, which Washington claims is run by Maduro.

• Waltz said: “Sanctioned oil tankers operate as the primary economic lifeline for Maduro and his illegitimate regime.”
• The US has designated several Venezuelan cartels as terrorist organizations.

Maduro has denied the allegations, insisting that drug trafficking claims are a cover for regime change.

International Reactions

• Russia warned that US intervention in Venezuela could become a “template” for military action in other Latin American countries.
• China stated that the US actions violate Venezuela’s sovereignty, security, and legitimate rights.

Moncada concluded: “Today, the masks have come off. It is not drugs, it is not security, it is not freedom. It is oil, it is mines, and it is land.”