THE FUTURE of Venezuela “must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone,” the UN’s top human rights official said today, as confusion over who is calling the shots in the country abounds.

Following the US’s deadly kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro at the weekend, former vice-president Delcy Rodriguez has been officially sworn in as interim leader, but statements from US officials have not made the situation any clearer.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said yesterday the US raid undermined international law.

In a statement published today, he called on the US and Venezuelan authorities “to ensure full respect for international law, including human rights.

“The future of Venezuela must be determined by the Venezuelan people alone, with full respect for their human rights, including the right to self-determination, and sovereignty over their lives and their resources.”

On Sunday, President Donald Trump repeatedly told reporters that “we’re in charge” of the country, but hasn’t yet explained what this means.

Hours later, however, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would not govern Venezuela, and would still enforce an existing “oil quarantine” on the country.

On Monday night, Mr Rubio and other officials briefed Congress on the illegal raid as US politicians worried that Mr Trump plans to launch a new era of US imperial conquest without consulting them.

After the briefing, House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters he doesn’t expect the US to deploy troops to the socialist country, emphasising that US actions there are “not a regime change” operation.

The kidnapping was thoroughly condemned by Brazil, China, Colombia, Cuba, Eritrea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa and Spain at an emergency meeting of the UN security council on Monday night.

“The bombings on Venezuelan territory and the capture of its president cross an unacceptable line,” Brazil’s UN ambassador Sergio Franca Danese told the meeting.

“These acts constitute a very serious affront to the sovereignty of Venezuela and set an extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community.”

Cuba’s ambassador Ernesto Soberon Guzman said: “The US military attack against Venezuela has no justification whatsoever.

“This is an imperialist and fascist aggression with objectives of domination.”

Meanwhile, Mr Maduro pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in a US courtroom on Monday.

Mr Trump and members of his government have made vague remarks about carrying out similar raids on Greenland, Iran, Colombia and elsewhere.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a vocal critic of Mr Trump and his increasingly erratic government, said he would be ready to defend his country should the US attack it.

“I swore not to touch a weapon again,” he said on Monday. “But for the homeland I will take up arms again.”