Answer

Introduction

The apprehension and forced exile of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is a blatant violation of international law and Article 2 of the UN Charter, reflecting the revival of the old Monroe Doctrine mindset. Under President Donald Trump, U.S. interventionism has produced not only tragic outcomes but also an almost absurd, farcical spectacle.

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Implications of Unilateral Interventions

• Erosion of Sovereignty: Unilateral strikes without UN Security Council (UNSC) authorization reduce the concept of a “sovereign state” to a conditional status dependent on great-power approval.
• Expansion of Judicial Reach: Capturing a sitting foreign leader for trial in domestic courts creates a precedent where national law supersedes sovereign immunity.
• Resource and Economic Control: Interventions often mask strategic desires to control vital natural resources, leading to the “commodification of regime change.”
  Eg: President Trump’s 2026 statement that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela to modernize its oil infrastructure for profit raised global concerns over “resource neocolonialism”.
• Regional Zone of Instability: Bypassing regional bodies like CELAC or CARICOM destabilizes designated “Zones of Peace” and risks cross-border conflict contagion.
• Normalization of “Narcoterrorism” Pretexts: Using law enforcement categories (drug trafficking) to justify military invasions sets a dangerous precedent for future “police-action” wars.
• Dilution of Multilateralism: Frequent unilateralism makes the UNSC appear obsolete, pushing middle powers toward either passive compliance or defensive re-armament.

Way Forward for the International Community

• Strengthening UNGA Mandates: Empowering the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to act when the Security Council is paralyzed, using the “Uniting for Peace” mechanism to condemn aggression.
• Multilateral Sanctions Oversight: Moving from unilateral “maximum pressure” campaigns to UN-led monitoring systems that prioritize humanitarian carve-outs.
  Eg: UN High Commissioner Volker Turk called for an immediate halt to extrajudicial strikes and a return to multilateral law enforcement cooperation.
• Diplomatic Mediation Panels: Establishing neutral, third-party mediation groups (like the “Montevideo Mechanism”) to lead transitions rather than external military forces.
• Reasserting Sovereign Immunity: International legal bodies must clarify that criminal allegations do not grant states a “license to invade” or kidnap foreign officials.
• Regional Security Architecture: Strengthening the ability of regional blocs to resolve internal crises without inviting “great power” military involvement.
  Eg: The call by South Africa (2026) for an urgent Security Council session highlights the need for a collective global response to protect regional peace.
• Accountability for Violations: Utilizing the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate both state-sponsored repression and the legality of unauthorized foreign military strikes.

Conclusion

The tragedy in Venezuela underscores that “democracy delivered by warship” is a farce that destroys the very values it claims to uphold. For the international community, the way forward lies in rejecting the “Don-roe Doctrine” of spheres of influence and reaffirming a multi-polar world where the UN Charter remains the only legitimate anchor for state behavior, ensuring that sovereignty is never again sacrificed at the altar of strategic hubris.

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