US Military Operation in Venezuela: A Seismic Shift in Global Order

• On January 3, 2026, the US launched a major military operation in Venezuela, detaining President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and transporting them to New York for criminal charges.
• This action, without UN Security Council approval or Venezuelan consent, is seen as an unprecedented challenge to the post-1945 legal order and a violation of the UN Charter.
• The US justified the operation based on Maduro's alleged narco-terrorism indictments, but critics argue domestic charges cannot legitimize a military invasion of a sovereign state.
• The intervention has been condemned by countries like China, Russia, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, and Iran, who view it as a blatant violation of sovereignty and international law.
• The operation highlights the hypocrisy of the 'rules-based order' and sets a dangerous precedent, potentially emboldening other great powers to act unilaterally.

Why It Matters: US military action in Venezuela shatters international law, setting a dangerous precedent for global power dynamics.