The U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the associated military operation were widely condemned by legal experts and several nations as a violation of international law, specifically the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. Although the US government has asserted that its actions are justified under domestic law and presidential authority, the overwhelming international legal opinion is that the use of military force to seize a leader on foreign territory constitutes an illegal “kidnapping” and a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter. These include the arrest of Manuel Noriega (Panama, 1989), targeted strikes and regime change attempts (Iraq, Libya and Yemen, 2000s and 2010s), the recent bombing of Iran, Nigeria and the logistical and financial support of Israel’s bombing of and genocidal atrocities in Gaza.
Author: Dan Steinbock
Published at: 2026-01-05 23:30:19
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