GENEVA, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on Monday urged the United States to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife while addressing the 61st session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.

The U.S. military launched an attack on Venezuela and captured Maduro and his wife on Jan. 3.

In his speech, Gil also called on relevant countries to end all unilateral coercive measures imposed on Venezuela, stressing that such measures not only violate international law but also infringe upon the Venezuelan people's economic, social and cultural rights.

The 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council opened on Monday in Geneva and is scheduled to conclude on March 31. ■