AES Condemns US Military Intervention in Venezuela

The Confederation of Sahel (AES) has joined several African states in condemning the recent United States military operation in Venezuela, describing the action as an “act of aggression” and a violation of international law.

In a statement released on Thursday in Ouagadougou and signed by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso and Chair of the AES, the organisation characterised the operation as the “illegal abduction” of President *Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and an “unacceptable interference” in the affairs of a sovereign state.

The AES appeal called on the United Nations Security Council to “fully assume its mandate under the Charter, by clearly condemning the US military action and working to restore international law.”

According to the AES, the military action – which led to the capture and transfer of Maduro and his wife to the United States – undermines the international order and has “harmful consequences for global stability.”

The statement emphasised that “the use of armed force by a state against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of another state constitutes an act of aggression,” and described the intervention as contrary to international law, particularly the foundational principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

The AES also denounced the “unilateral use of force” and expressed deep regret over what it called a violation of international norms by a permanent member of the Security Council.

The AES statement comes as US President Donald Trump announced plans to transfer up to 30 to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to the United States, with revenues controlled by Washington.

The military operation on 3 January 2026 – part of a broader US campaign in Venezuela – resulted in combat deaths among Venezuelan and allied forces, including Cuban personnel. Estimates place the total number of fatalities in the dozens, reflecting the intensity of the strikes around Caracas.