Geneva, Switzerland - Four UN rights experts on Wednesday condemned the US blockade of Venezuela, determining it illegal armed aggression and calling on Congress to intervene.

President Donald Trump's administration has deployed a major military force in the Caribbean and has been seizing oil tankers as part of a blockade on Venezuelan vessels it considers to be under sanctions.

But UN experts torched the justification, writing in a joint statement: "There is no right to enforce unilateral sanctions through an armed blockade."

A blockade is a prohibited use of military force against another country under the UN Charter, while US actions are "such a serious use of force that [they are] also expressly recognized as illegal armed aggression under the General Assembly's 1974 Definition of Aggression," they said.

Donald Trump Trump's Justice Department scrambles to deny accusations of cover-up after Epstein files debacle

Under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Venezuela has "a right of self-defense," the experts added.

Trump's administration has accused Venezuela of using oil to finance "narcoterrorism, human trafficking, murders, and kidnappings."

Caracas denies any involvement in drug trafficking. It says Trump is seeking to overthrow its president, Nicolas Maduro, in order to seize Venezuelan oil reserves, the largest in the world.

Since September, US forces also have launched dozens of air strikes on boats accused with no evidence of transporting drugs. More than 100 people have been killed.

"These killings amount to violations of the right to life. They must be investigated and those responsible held accountable," the UN experts said, calling on Congress to "intervene to prevent further attacks and lift the blockade."

The four who signed the joint statement are:

Donald Trump US Coast Guard announces dramatic move to seize latest oil tanker off Venezuela's coast

• Ben Saul, special rapporteur on protecting human rights while countering terrorism
• George Katrougalos, the expert on promoting a democratic and equitable international order
• development expert Surya Deva
• Gina Romero, who covers the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

UN experts are independent figures mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to report their findings.

On Tuesday at the UN in New York, Venezuela, having requested an emergency meeting of the Security Council, accused Washington of "the greatest extortion known in our history."