UN chief Guterres raises concerns about instability in Venezuela, legality of US operation

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised concerns on Monday about a possible intensification of instability in Venezuela after the US capture of the Latin American country's president Nicolas Maduro, Report informs via Reuters.

The 15-member Security Council met at UN headquarters in New York just hours before Maduro was due to appear in a Manhattan federal court on drug charges including narco-terrorism conspiracy. Maduro has denied any criminal involvement.

"I am deeply concerned about the possible intensification of instability in the country, the potential impact on the region, and the precedent it may set for how relations between and among states are conducted," Guterres said in a statement delivered to the council by UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo.

Guterres called on all Venezuelan actors to engage in an inclusive and democratic dialogue, adding: "I welcome and am ready to support all efforts aimed at assisting Venezuelans in finding a peaceful way forward."

He also expressed concern that the US operation to capture Maduro in Caracas on Saturday did not respect the rules of international law.