Maduro capture rattles global legal order as nations condemn US action

THE HAGUE — The U.S. military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, at a military base in Caracas has drawn condemnation from governments across four continents, with critics warning Monday that the operation sets a dangerous precedent for the erosion of international law. Maduro appeared in a New York federal court on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges as the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency session on the legality of the mission.

The operation is forcing a reckoning over whether U.S. unilateral military action inside a sovereign nation — which the Trump administration justifies as lawful enforcement against drug traffickers — will weaken the post–World War II legal framework that has governed interstate conduct for more than 75 years.

US justification

President Donald Trump has insisted the capture was legal. The Trump administration has characterized drug cartels operating from Venezuela as unlawful combatants, and a White House memo obtained by The Associated Press in October declared that the United States is in an “armed conflict” with them.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended the military action as a “surgical law enforcement operation.” The administration’s National Security Strategy, made public last month, lists restoring “American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere” as a key objective of Trump’s second term.

International condemnation

UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo told the Security Council on Monday that “the maintenance of international peace and security depends on the continued commitment of all member states to adhere to all provisions of the UN Charter.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the capture “goes against the principle of non-use of force, which is the basis of international law.” He warned that the “increasing violations of this principle by nations invested with the important responsibility of being permanent members of the UN Security Council will have serious consequences for global security and will spare no one.”

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya called the mission “a return to the era of anarchy” by the United States and urged the 15-member council to “unite and firmly reject the methods and tools of the military foreign policy” of Washington.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Tuesday that the United States had “deliberately trampled on Venezuela’s sovereignty and security” and accused Washington of acting as “judge of the world.”

Analysts and world leaders from China to Mexico condemned the operation, AP reported, expressing concern that Maduro’s ouster could open the door to further military interventions and deepen the erosion of the global legal order.

Colombia put on notice

Also Sunday, Trump warned Colombia and its left-wing president, Gustavo Petro. Trump told reporters that Colombia is “run by a sick man who likes cocaine and sells it to the United States.” The White House sanctioned Petro, his family, and a cabinet member in October over allegations of involvement in the global drug trade. Colombia is considered the epicenter of global cocaine trafficking.

Broader implications

The Venezuela operation has raised concerns about its potential effects across several flash points:

Ukraine. Europe has managed Russia’s war against Ukraine for nearly four years, relying heavily on U.S. backing. Volodymyr Fesenko, chairman of the Penta think tank in Kyiv, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has long undermined global order and weakened international law, and added that “unfortunately, Trump’s actions have continued this trend.”

Greenland. Trump speculated openly about the future of the Danish territory while flying back to Washington from Florida on Sunday. “Right now it is very strategic. Greenland is full of Russian and Chinese ships everywhere,” he said. “We need Greenland from a national security standpoint, and Denmark isn’t going to be able to do it.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement that Trump “has no right to annex” the territory, and noted that Denmark already provides the United States broad access to Greenland through existing NATO security agreements.

Taiwan. The Venezuela operation has generated speculation about whether China might attempt a similar action against Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te. China conducted two days of military maneuvers around the self-governed island last week following a U.S. arms package to Taipei. Analysts consider a Chinese replication of the Venezuela action unlikely given the destabilizing risks, and Beijing’s stated strategy has centered on gradual pressure rather than direct seizure.

Middle East. Trump has demonstrated willingness to use military force against Iran, conducting strikes against Iranian nuclear installations in June 2025. On Friday, Trump warned the Islamic Republic that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” Washington “will come to their rescue.” Violence surrounding protests triggered by Iran’s deteriorating economy killed at least 35 people, activists said Tuesday. Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the “illegal U.S. attack against Venezuela.”

European response

The European Union, while maintaining that Maduro lacks political legitimacy, said in a statement that “the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be respected” and that UN Security Council members “have the specific responsibility to uphold those principles.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close Trump ally, offered a more dismissive assessment. International rules, he said, “do not govern the decisions of many great powers. This is completely obvious.”