The United States has deployed a major military force in the Caribbean and has recently intercepted oil tankers as part of a naval blockade against Venezuelan vessels it considers to be under sanctions.

At the Security Council meeting, US Ambassador Mike Waltz responded to the criticism by saying "the United States will do everything in its power to protect our hemisphere, our borders, and the American people."

US President Donald Trump accuses Venezuela of using oil, the South American country's main resource, to finance "narcoterrorism, human trafficking, murders, and kidnappings."

Caracas denies any involvement in drug trafficking and maintains that Washington is seeking to overthrow its president, Nicolas Maduro, in order to seize Venezuelan oil reserves, the largest in the world.

"The acts by the US side run counter to all key norms of international law," said Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, calling the US blockade an "act of aggression."

"The responsibility of Washington is also evident for the constant catastrophic consequences of such cowboy like conduct," he told the Security Council, which held its emergency meeting at Venezuela's request with the support of permanent council members Russia and China, and others.

"China opposes all acts of unilateralism and bullying and supports all countries in defending their sovereignty and national dignity," said the Chinese representative, Sun Lei.

Walz reiterated Trump's accusations against the Venezuelan leader, saying "Nicolas Maduro is a fugitive wanted by American justice and the head of the foreign terrorist organization the 'Cartel de los Soles'."

Experts say there is no evidence of the existence of an organized group with a defined hierarchy that goes by that name.

The US government has offered a $50 million reward for any information leading to the arrest of Maduro, a staunch ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Since September, US forces have launched dozens of air strikes on boats that Washington alleges, without showing evidence, were transporting drugs. More than 100 people have been killed.