US Seizes Maduro: International Law Under Fire in Unprecedented Capture

• US Special Forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, flying him to New York to face drug-trafficking charges.
• Washington cited a federal indictment and Article 51 self-defense, but President Donald Trump's comments on "running the country" contradicted the law enforcement rationale.
• The operation is widely seen as violating UN Charter Article 2(4) against using force, as no Security Council approval or armed attack from Venezuela occurred.
• Head-of-state immunity is a complex issue; US calls Maduro "illegitimate" but hasn't formally recognized an alternative leader, unlike the Noriega case.
• Domestically, Congress was not informed, raising constitutional concerns about the President's unilateral use of military force.

Why It Matters: Maduro's capture challenges fundamental international laws, setting a controversial precedent for global state behavior.