Colombia categorically condemns the U.S. military action against Venezuela, Colombia's permanent representative to the United Nations Leonor Zalabata told the UN Security Council on Monday.

"Colombia condemns categorically the events that occurred in the early morning of the 3rd of January in Venezuela, where we saw multiple explosions and air activity over Caracas and other areas of the country as part of the military attack carried out by the United States ... All of this represents clear violations of the sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of Venezuela," she said at a Security Council emergency meeting on Venezuela.

Zalabata said this was the first time Colombia was taking the floor in the Security Council as a non-permanent member for the period 2026-2027, and "is taking on this responsibility with a deep sense of duty."

"We are going to do this from the first day defending international law and the purposes of principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter," including international peace and security, the peaceful settlement of disputes, the prohibition of the use of force, sovereign equality, respect for the territorial integrity and political independence of all states, she said.

There is no justification whatsoever under any circumstances for the unilateral use of force to commit an act of aggression, Zalabata noted, adding that such actions constitute a serious violation of international law and the UN Charter.

Defending these principles is not an option, but an obligation to preserve international peace and security, she said.