Uganda, acting in its capacity as chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), has condemned the United States for what it described as an "act of aggression" against Venezuela, calling for an immediate end to hostilities and accountability for those responsible.
The statement was delivered by the Ugandan delegation during an emergency meeting on international peace and security at the United Nations on January 5, amid reports of U.S. military strikes on civilian and military targets in Caracas and other Venezuelan cities.
According to reports, the strikes began in the early hours of January 3, though Washington has not publicly detailed the scope or legal basis of the operation.
"The Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement categorically condemns the act of aggression perpetrated by the United States of America against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," the Ugandan delegation said on behalf of the 120-member bloc.
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The statement said the actions "blatantly violate the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the norms of international law," adding that they constitute "an act of war against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela" that undermines regional and international peace, security and stability while threatening the right to life of the Venezuelan people.
Uganda assumed the chairmanship of NAM in 2024, placing it at the forefront of the group's diplomatic engagement on global security matters. In recent months, Kampala has increasingly voiced concern over what it views as unilateral actions by Western powers, aligning with NAM's long-standing principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
In its statement, NAM called for the immediate cessation of all hostilities against Venezuela and demanded full respect for the country's sovereignty, independence and right to self-determination. It also urged that those responsible for what it termed acts of aggression be held accountable under international law.
The bloc further emphasised the inviolability of immunities accorded to heads of state and government, warning that any disregard for these protections could weaken multilateralism and destabilise international relations.
The remarks appeared to reference broader concerns over the safety of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amid the escalating crisis.
NAM reiterated its full solidarity with the people and government of Venezuela and insisted that military solutions are not viable means of resolving disputes between nations, describing armed intervention as incompatible with the principles of peaceful coexistence.
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The U.S. State Department had not issued a formal response to the NAM statement by press time, though American officials have previously defended similar operations as necessary to protect U.S. national security interests.
In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni echoed his long-held scepticism of foreign military interventions.
Speaking during a youth engagement dubbed Jazz with Jajja at State House Nakasero in Kampala on January 4, Museveni said he was closely monitoring developments in Venezuela while questioning the motives behind the US actions against the Maduro government.
Museveni noted that the United States' military strengths lie largely in air and naval power rather than ground combat, and reiterated his broader position that lasting global stability requires respect for sovereignty and self-reliance among nations.
