CARACAS -- Gunfire was heard near Venezuela's presidential palace, media reports said on Monday.

Venezuelan government buildings were evacuated amid the incident.

The situation was under control, according to a source close to the government.

The source added that unidentified drones flew over the presidential palace in central Caracas, prompting security forces to open fire in response.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Uganda's representative at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement representing 121 member states, united by the shared principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.

The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement categorically condemns the act of aggression perpetuated by the United States of America against the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela since the early hours of the Jan 3, 2026, which included armed attacks against civilian and military locations in the capital city of Caracas as well as in various other cities of the Venezuelan territory.

The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement notes that the attacks in question, which blatantly violate the purposes and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations as well as the norms of international law, constitute an act of war against the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela that undermines both regional and international peace, security and stability while also threatening the very right to life of the Venezuelan people.

The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement reiterates its full solidarity with the people and government of the Bolivian Republic of Venezuela at this critical time and insists that military solutions are not viable avenues for addressing any issues that may be of concern between members of the international community.

On the morning of Jan 5, Ambassador Sun Lei briefed the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting on the situation in Venezuela. He said the US is wantonly violating Venezuela's sovereignty and seriously breaching the UN Charter. China firmly supports Venezuela in safeguarding its sovereignty and stands ready to work with regional countries and the international community to maintain peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, appeared on Monday at a hearing in federal court in New York City for the first time since they were taken from their residence in the middle of the night on Saturday.

Large crowds of protesters gathered outside the courthouse, many voicing opposition to the US action against Venezuela. Protest signs read "USA hands off Venezuela," "No US war on Venezuela," "US hands off Venezuela oil" and "Free Pres. Nicolas Maduro."

The US government carried out what US President Donald Trump described as a "large-scale strike", capturing Maduro and his wife and flying them out of the country. The couple was subsequently confirmed to have been transported to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Rae Lee, who had been outside the courthouse since 9 am, three hours before Maduro's arraignment, told China Daily she believes the action constituted an international crime. Lee said she visited Venezuela in December.

"It was really remarkable. Here in the US, they are only ever talking about terrible conditions like people are oppressed by their government … They've been building their resilience through the years, and economically they have grown really powerfully, like their housing projects. It's incredible what we saw," she said.

"It (US) desperately wants its oil, and its natural resources, so they want to install a puppet regime … These charges, they are just seeing what sticks. But we know that it is fundamentally, if we look at the basic picture, the US going to a sovereign nation and kidnapping their head of state, who has been elected twice democratically, their election, much more transparent and accurate and representative than ours. It is a crime. It is an international crime. We have to condemn it."

Many protesters said they believe the US intervention in Venezuela is driven not by "justice" but by "oil." Among them was Imani Henry, who said he has been to Venezuela and "experienced firsthand the rally there that supports Maduro."

"It's about oil. (Like) Iran, Afghanistan, it's about oil … Steal a sovereign president and declare to run their country, and declare that we are gonna steal oil reserves. It's about people and people's needs, not about stealing the reserves for your own profit," Henry told China Daily.

He added: "We have seen this kind of complete and utter disruption of people's sovereignty. Why am I here today? Because I'm tired of Latin America and the Caribbean being completely usurped of our power, our independence by the US government."

Maduro and his wife were charged with narco-terrorism. According to the 25-page indictment, Maduro and others allegedly worked with drug cartels to ship thousands of tons of cocaine into the US.

Maduro pleaded not guilty. Speaking in Spanish, he said: "I'm innocent. I am not guilty. I am a decent man, the president of my country," while emphasizing that he had been "kidnapped." Flores appeared in court with bandages on her temple and forehead, and her lawyer said she suffered "significant injuries" during the capture.

"We wanted to support president Maduro, he's been illegally captured by President Donald Trump … Maduro has won every election for years following Hugo Chavez. Nicolas Maduro has been a legitimate president of Venezuela elected by the Venezuelan people," protester Lallan Schoenstein told China Daily.

Schoenstein added: "His (Trump's) all interest in Venezuela is stealing the resources, precious metals, and oil from Venezuela … He is stealing a president of a sovereign nation, it is a criminal activity."

shiguang@chinadailyusa.com

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Amir Saeid Iravani, Iran's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

First, the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns in the strongest possible terms the military attack carried out by the United States of America against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This illegal act constitutes state terrorism, a manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations — particularly Article 2, paragraphs 4 and 7 — and peremptory norms of international law, and amounts to an internationally wrongful act and a full-fledged act of aggression.

Such military aggression against an independent member state of the United Nations establishes a serious breach of regional and international peace and security with far-reaching consequences for the international system as a whole.

Second, the abduction of the democratically elected president and the first lady of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela by the United States constitutes a flagrant violation of customary international law, including the principles of the inviolability of the immunities accorded to heads of state and government under international law, and represents a grave assault on the sovereign equality of states. Third, the United States is openly seeking to substitute its domestic law for international law and the Charter of the United Nations. This represents a serious warning to the international community and to all member states. Such unlawful conduct strikes at the very foundations of the Charter-based international legal order and establishes a dangerous precedent that must be categorically and unequivocally rejected.

The so-called declared US policy of "peace through strength" prescribes the law of the jungle and the rule of force instead of the rule of law, and if tolerated and normalized, would render the collective security system established by the Charter ineffective and devoid of purpose.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Ambassador Zalabata Torres, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

These actions that we have seen remind us of the worst interference in our area in the past, in our zone of peace.

It's also important to understand the dimension of this situation for international peace and security beyond our region, particularly when a permanent member of the Security Council takes the decision to use force and assume control unilaterally of another sovereign state with the aim, amongst other things, of taking its natural and strategic resources.

This is very worrisome for the international community, the international order that was established after the Second World War and flagrantly violates international law and is in clear contradiction with the United Nations Charter and the very goal for which this Council was created.

Venezuela deserves to live in peace, in democracy, prosperity and dignity with a government that is defined in sovereignty by no one else than the Venezuelan people and their institutions.

Jeffrey Sachs, president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, briefed the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting on the situation in Venezuela Monday. Sachs said that the United States is in serious violation of the United Nations Charter and must immediately cease its illegal military actions and threats. He noted that for decades, US foreign policy has repeatedly "employed force, covert action and political manipulation to bring about regime change in other countries," which violates international law.

China has urged the United States to heed the "overwhelming voice" of the international community, cease infringing on other countries' sovereignty and security, stop toppling Venezuela's government, and return to dialogue and negotiations for political solutions.

Speaking at an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting on Monday, two days after US military strikes on Venezuela, Sun Lei, charge d'affaires of China's UN Mission, urged the US to ensure the safety of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and to release them immediately.

Maduro pleaded not guilty in New York federal court to charges of narco-terrorism on Monday.

The emergency session was convened after a large-scale US military operation on Saturday, during which US forces seized Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transported them out of the country.

Addressing the Council, Sun expressed China's "deep shock" and strong condemnation of what he called the "unilateral, illegal and bullying acts" of the United States.

"The US has placed its own power above multilateralism and military actions above diplomatic efforts," Sun said, warning that such actions pose a grave threat to peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean and even internationally.

He emphasized that the US military strikes "wantonly trampled" upon Venezuela's sovereignty and violated core tenets of the UN Charter, including the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of international disputes, and the prohibition of the use of force in international relations.

"The lessons of history are a stark warning," Sun said, noting that military means are not the solution to international problems and that the indiscriminate use of force would only lead to greater crises.

He cited past US actions, including bypassing the Security Council to launch military operations against Iraq, attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, and the imposition of economic sanctions, military strikes and armed occupations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Those actions caused persistent conflict, instability and immense suffering for ordinary people. "Did these actions bring peace and stability? Did they bring development and prosperity?" he asked, saying the international community could see the answers clearly.

The envoy noted that Venezuela is an independent sovereign state with every right to defend its sovereignty and national dignity.

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are important forces in maintaining world peace and stability and promoting global development and prosperity and have the right to independently choose their development paths and partners, he said.

"No country can act as the world's police, nor can any country presume to be the international judge," Sun said.

In his speech, Sun reiterated that China firmly supports the Venezuelan government and people in safeguarding their sovereignty, security and legitimate rights and interests, he said, and supports regional countries in upholding Latin America and the Caribbean as a zone of peace.

He called on the United States to change course, cease bullying and coercive practices, and develop relations and cooperation with regional countries on the basis of mutual respect, equality and noninterference.

China stands ready to work with regional countries and the international community to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, uphold fairness and justice, and jointly safeguard peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean, he concluded.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Ambassador Sophia Tesfamariam Yohannes, Permanent Representative of Eritrea to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

The member states of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations expressed their serious concern at the impact of these series of armed attacks, particularly on civilians and their human rights to life, which have included military assaults with US special forces, while emphasizing that such acts constitute a clear breach of international law and of each and every principle governing international relations, including those foreseen in the Charter of the United Nations.

The group of friends of the Charter of the United Nations firmly reject the remarks delivered by the President of the United States of America during the afternoon of Jan 3 2026, in which he not only threatened with additional airstrikes against the Venezuelan territory, but also claimed to resolve to occupy and govern the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and to exploit the natural resources and administer the wealth of that sisterly nation in what can only be described as the confession of a clear plan of annexation that foresees, among others, the complete obliteration of the inalienable rights of the Venezuelan people as well as the fundamental rights of the Venezuelan state as a whole.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Ambassador Hector Vasconcelos, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

The government of Mexico has already made its position clear with regard to our condemnation of the military aggression of Jan 3 against targets in the territory of Venezuela in clear violation of Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations.

These actions must not be allowed as they constitute a severe blow to the Charter and to multilateralism.

Rhetoric pointing towards the escalation or expansion of military actions, including to other countries in our region, threatens regional stability.

Regime change by external actors and the application of extra-territorial measures are not only acts contrary to international law, but historically, all they've done is exacerbate conflicts and weakened the social and political fabric of nations.

The current violation of this fragile balance gravely endangers the political stability and the security of the region, as well as the well-being of our peoples. Those who justify these acts deny the independent history of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Sergio Franca Danese, Brazil's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

Brazil categorically and firmly rejects the armed intervention in Venezuelan territory in flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and of international law.

The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its President crossed an unacceptable line. These acts constitute a very serious affront to the sovereignty of Venezuela and set an extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community.

As Brazil has reiterated on numerous occasions, the norms that govern coexistence among states are mandatory and universal. They do not admit exceptions based on ideological, geopolitical, political, economic, or any other kind of interests or projects. They do not admit that the exploitation of natural or economic resources justifies the use of force or the illegal change of a government.

For the first time in South America, a profoundly alarming event has occurred. An external armed aggression with the deployment of troops and bombings in a neighboring country contiguous with Brazil, with which we share more than 2,000 kilometers of border.

The events of January 3rd transcend the regional sphere. The attack on the sovereignty of any country, regardless of the direction of its government, affects the entire international community. This and other cases of armed intervention against the sovereignty of a country, its territorial integrity, or its institutions must be vehemently condemned.

It is up to this Council to assume its responsibility and react with determination, clarity, and obedience to international law in order to prevent the law of force from prevailing over the force of law.

Brazil trusts that the future of Venezuela will be built by the Venezuelan people through dialogue, without external interference and within the framework of international law.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Paula Narvaez Ojeda, Chile's representative to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

Chile would like to express our deep concern and firm condemnation of the unilateral military action taken by the United States in the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

We're also convinced that Latin America and the Caribbean must continue to be a zone of peace, because that zone of peace not only serves Latin America and the Caribbean, but the entire world. An armed conflict will have devastating humanitarian consequences in Venezuela and in the region. It will worsen the suffering of the civilian population and worsen even further the displacement, insecurity and vulnerability aspects of the situation.

We reiterate that any differences must be dealt with exclusively through peaceful means in respect of international law, the sovereignty of states, and the prohibition of the use or the threat of the use of force.

As was recently indicated by the heads of state of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Spain, we express our concern with regard to any attempt to control government administration or foreign ownership of strategic assets. This would be against international law and would threaten the political, economic and social stability of the region.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Ambassador Hector Gomez Hernandez, representative of Spain to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

Spain would like to express our profound concern about what's happened in Venezuela, and as the secretary general of the United Nations has noted, it constitutes a very worrying precedent with implications for the region and for the world.

We consider that these actions constitute a very troubling precedent for regional peace and security, and we recall that the natural resources of a country are part of its sovereignty.

We share the view that the fight against organized crime in the region is a priority, but that fight can only be waged through international cooperation.

UNITED NATIONS -- Venezuelan UN ambassador Samuel Moncada on Monday requested action from the Security Council following US strikes against his country over the weekend.

Venezuela urges the Security Council to fully assume its responsibility and act in accordance with the mandate conferred on it by the UN Charter, Moncada told an emergency meeting of the council.

"In that regard, we request that the government of the United States of America be demanded to fully respect the immunities of (Venezuelan) President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores, as well as their immediate release and safe return to Venezuela," said the ambassador.

Maduro and his wife were forcibly removed from Venezuela and brought to the United States.

Moncada demanded that the use of force against Venezuela be clearly and unequivocally condemned by the Security Council, and that the principle of non-acquisition of territory or resources by force be reaffirmed.

He also called for measures aimed at de-escalation, the protection of the civilian population, and the restoration of international law.

"Venezuela comes before this Council today with a deep conviction that international peace can only be sustained if international law is respected without exception, without double standards, and without selective interpretations," said Moncada.

He said that Saturday's military action against Venezuela constitutes a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, in particular, the violation of the principle of sovereign equality of states, of the prohibition of threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, and of the duty to settle disputes by peaceful means.

The US move also seriously violates the Geneva Conventions and Protocols, the ambassador said.

"When force is used to control resources, impose governments, or redesign states, we are faced with a logic that harks back to the worst practices of colonialism and neocolonialism," he said. "This scenario not only threatens Venezuela, it threatens international peace and security as a whole."

If the kidnapping of a head of state, the bombing of a sovereign country, and the open threat of further armed action are tolerated or downplayed, the message sent to the world is a devastating one, namely that law is optional, and that force is the true arbiter of international relations, Moncada warned.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Acting Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

Pakistan views the recent development in Venezuela with profound concern. In a world already beset by multiple crises, escalating tensions and instability in the Caribbean do not augur well for regional and international peace and security.

Unilateral military action contravenes these sacrosanct principles and the doctrine of sovereign immunity. Such actions set dangerous precedents that risk eroding the foundations of the global legal framework. They also fuel instability, which — as history has shown time and again — can lead to unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes for years to come.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by South Africa's representative at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

The unilateral military strikes carried out by the United States of America against Venezuela and the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse from Venezuelan territory for transfer to the United States wantonly violates the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Venezuela. These actions are also in stark contrast of our established legal norms. Once again, the belief that might is right is reinforced and diplomacy is undermined.

Additionally, under international law, a state has exclusive jurisdiction over persons and conduct within its own territory. Any enforcement of domestic law, including arrest, by one state within the territory of another state without that state's consent is an unlawful violation of sovereignty. There are recourse mechanisms at the disposal of states to implement international law. This includes taking action by bringing a case before the International Court of Justice or seeking action from the UN Security Council.

This would be a regression into a world preceding the United Nations, a world that gave us two brutal world wars, and an international system prone to severe structural instability and lawlessness. We cannot afford to proceed into a complex future without the stability and protection afforded by international law.

Here is an excerpt of the statement by France's representative at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

The military operation which has led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro runs counter to the principal of peaceful dispute resolution and runs counter to the principal of non-use of force. The proliferation of violations of the Charter of the United Nations and the violation of international laws by a state vested with the responsibility as a permanent member of the Security Council chips away the very foundation of the international order.

Here is an excerpt of the remarks by Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela in New York on Monday:

The assault against the leader of Venezuela, which was compounded by the deaths of dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban citizens, was seen by many as a harbinger of a return to an era of lawlessness and US domination by force, chaos and injustice, which continues to inflict suffering on dozens of countries in various regions of the world.

There is no justification for the crime cynically perpetrated by the United States in Caracas, nor can there ever be any.

We firmly condemn the act of armed aggression by the United States against Venezuela in breach of all norms of international law. Given the confirmed reports that the abducted President of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and his spouse are being held in the United States (and as of today, as we know, in New York), we call upon the US leadership to immediately release the legitimately elected president of an independent State and his spouse.

UNITED NATIONS -- A Chinese envoy on Monday strongly condemned the US military action against Venezuela.

"China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the unilateral, illegal, and bullying acts by the United States," said Sun Lei, the charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

Sun made the remarks at an emergency meeting of the Security Council following the US assault on Venezuela.

NEW YORK -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday pleaded not guilty to all US charges during his first court appearance in New York.

"I am innocent, I am not guilty," Maduro told the court, adding that he was "kidnapped" at his home in Caracas and that he remains the president of Venezuela, according to media inside the courtroom.

Maduro's wife, Cilia Flores, said at court that she is completely innocent of the charges brought against her by the United States.

The next hearing on the case against Maduro is scheduled for March 17.

Protesters gathering outside the court were shouting slogans and holding banners of "Free Maduro," "No War on Venezuela," and "USA hands off Venezuela."

"The charges are completely outrageous," Sydney Loving, one of the protesters told Xinhua. "We're against any intervention like that on a sovereign nation."

"To kidnap a president of another country is absolutely crossing red line. It definitely violates international law," she said.

In the early hours of Saturday, US military forces carried out attacks and bombings in Caracas and other parts of Venezuela and took Maduro and his wife by force, before putting them in custody in New York.

The US attacks have shocked the international community, triggering a steady stream of condemnation and serious concerns worldwide.

On Saturday, people took to the streets across more than 100 US cities, including Washington, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami, protesting against the US military operation on the oil-rich South American nation, demanding the US government to free Maduro.