PYONGYANG - The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday condemned the US latest actions against Venezuela for violating the country's sovereignty, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

"The DPRK Foreign Ministry strongly denounces the US hegemony-seeking act committed in Venezuela as the most serious form of encroachment of sovereignty and as a wanton violation of the UN Charter and international laws," a ministry spokesperson was quoted by the KCNA as saying.

The spokesperson said the current situation stems from US high-handed actions, which have further destabilized an already fragile regional situation. The latest US moves against the Latin American country were cited as "another example that clearly confirms once again the rogue and brutal nature of the United States."

The international community should recognize the seriousness of the present situation and voice protest and condemnation against the US habituated violation of other countries' sovereignty, the spokesperson added.

The international community is deeply shocked by the United States' blatant use of force against Venezuela, including large-scale air strikes on the country and the forcible seizure of its president and his wife. Its actions should be condemned as they constitute a naked act of armed aggression against a sovereign state and flagrantly violate international law and the basic norms governing international relations, as well as the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

By any definition, the US military operation amounts to an invasion. It dangerously escalates the so-called "Monroe Doctrine" from a 19th-century, isolationist-era concept into a 21st-century doctrine of force and coercion. This sets an alarming precedent for Latin America and the Caribbean, posing a direct threat to the sovereignty and security of countries across the region and shaking the foundations of the international order established after World War II.

Washington's justification of it being a "counter narcotics" action is neither credible nor legitimate. No such pretext can justify the bombing of a sovereign country or the abduction of its head of state. If such reasoning were to be accepted, it would effectively grant powerful nations a license to intervene militarily wherever they see fit, under a pretext given by themselves, hollowing out international law and replacing it with the law of the jungle.

The true motivation behind the US' aggression was laid bare by the US administration, which triumphantly announced that Nicolas Maduro and his wife had been "captured and flown out of the country" and that the US would "run" Venezuela on a "temporary basis" to "get the oil flowing". These remarks tore away the already thin veil of moral pretense, exposing the operation for what it was: a resource-grabbing power play. Any veneer of pursuing justice or stability was blasted away in a blatant demonstration of lawless hypocrisy. The pattern is disturbingly reminiscent of the Iraq War — another chapter in Washington's long record of seizing other countries' resources under false pretenses.

Washington's claim of "strategic retrenchment" thus rings hollow. For other countries in the Americas, this is not retrenchment but imperialist expansion — an aggressive reassertion of arrogant conceit. Venezuela is unlikely to be the last victim if this logic is allowed to prevail. The military action also aims to intimidate regional countries and deter them from deepening cooperation with other partners in the fields that the US is trying to dominate.

The news conference held by US officials shortly after the operation only underscored this intent. The brazen boasting about "Operation Absolute Resolve", including lurid details of how US special forces seized the Venezuelan president from his bedroom, was designed to instill fear rather than convey transparency. It revealed the extent to which the US is prepared to turn its military superiority into an instrument for imposing its will on others.

From fabricated charges to military strikes and regime change, the operation follows a familiar and deeply troubling script — one that reflects the logic of state piracy. Sovereign governments are first delegitimized, then destroyed by force, after which foreign capital moves in to carve up natural resources. This behavior drags the world back toward a barbaric colonial era of plunder, in open defiance of international law.

Such egregious conduct has not gone unchallenged even within the US. Some observers bluntly stated that the US has become a bully of the world. No wonder even some in the US political circle said they never again wanted to hear US leaders preach about a so-called "rules-based" international order.

International reaction has been equally blunt. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern over Washington's disregard for international law. Russia said it was "extremely alarmed" by the act of armed aggression. The European Union called for respect for international law and the UN Charter "in all circumstances". These voices reflect a shared global anxiety that when might replaces law, no nation is safe.

History has repeatedly shown that while wars may be easy to start, they are far harder to end. Although Washington boasts of the supposed efficiency and low cost of its operation, the true price will be paid over time by the entire region — and ultimately by the US itself. Power politics may yield short-term gains, but they cannot bring lasting peace or stability.

China has urged the US to ensure the personal safety of Maduro and his wife, immediately release them, cease attempts to subvert the Venezuelan government, and resolve differences through dialogue and negotiation. What the world is witnessing is not a "rules-based" order, but colonial pillaging. Upholding sovereignty, equality and noninterference is not optional. It is the foundation of global stability — and it must be defended.

Protesters gathered outside the White House in Washington, D.C., to oppose the US military action in Venezuela, following US President Donald Trump's announcement of the capture of the country's leader, Nicolas Maduro.

NEW YORK - Hundreds of people took to the streets of Manhattan on Saturday to protest against the US military operation that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The march was part of nationwide "No war on Venezuela" demonstrations in more than 100 US cities, including Washington, Boston, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami.

Protesters gathered in Times Square, waving signs that read "Hands off Venezuela," "US out of Caribbean," "No war for Venezuelan oil," and "Defend Venezuela against US imperialism." Chants of "Defend Venezuela, Free Maduro" echoed through the crowd.

"This war is not about drugs, it is about Venezuela's oil," said Karen, a middle-aged New Yorker in the march.

"How do you have the right to step in Venezuela, to attack Venezuela?" she said. "It feels like we act as criminals."

"We are here to say that this is an unjust action," she added.

Hassan, a college student from Pakistan, said US-led government change efforts abroad were not new, "but at least it wore a mask, like in the name of restoring democracy in the Middle East."

"However, today it takes the mask off," Hassan said. "This is quite nakedly about oil and natural resources."

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that his country has struck Venezuela and captured its President Maduro, who was flown out of the country along with his wife.

Trump said that the United States will "run" Venezuela until "a safe, proper and judicious transition."

"This is not gonna happen," one speaker at the Times Square rally said in response. "It's arrogance."

"Listen to what Trump said today when he said, 'we want all your oil, all your land, all your assets, turn it over to us,'" the speaker added.

"The Venezuelan people will not accept the United States running their country or stealing their oil, gas, gold, or any resources. There will be strong resistance," she said. "No, that age is over."

One of the organizers, Answer Coalition, which stands for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, condemned the latest US bombing of Caracas and the capture of Maduro, calling on Americans to "say no to another endless war."

"A US war would cause death and destruction to the people of Venezuela. The war machine consumes an unimaginable amount of our tax dollars while working families struggle to make ends meet," the anti-war group said in a statement. "The people need to take to the streets and say no to Trump's war on Venezuela!"

Countries around the world condemned the United States' latest military action in Venezuela on Saturday, after Washington reportedly "captured" President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and flew them to New York. The move has sent shock waves through the international community, with many voices strongly denouncing what they described as a blatant use of force against a sovereign state and a threat to the peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Communist Party of Kenya has condemned the US invasion of Venezuela, labeling it an illegal and imperialist act.

The party also expressed concern over what it said are threats by US President Donald Trump and his Western allies to invade Iran by interfering in its internal affairs.

Mwandawiro Mghanga, the party chairperson, called on the international community to condemn the actions, warning against a repeat of history.

"We should remember history and the rise of fascism led by Adolf Hitler," he said. "Today it is Venezuela, Iran and Cuba, but tomorrow it will be the whole world including Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia and USA itself."

Mghanga emphasized that repeating such historical mistakes would be costly, reinforcing the party's support for Venezuela, Cuba and Iran.

"The Communist Party of Kenya calls upon all progressives in Kenya and globally to rise up, hold demonstrations, and show solidarity with the popular leadership of Venezuela; and to condemn in no uncertain terms, the imperialist invasion of Venezuela by the US," he said.

Editor's note: US strikes on Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro has been condemned globally as a serious violation of international law and national sovereignty. Two Chinese experts share their views with China Daily's Wang Qingyun and Li Huixian. Excerpts follow:

US strikes blatant hegemonic invasion

After a swift military strike against Venezuela on Saturday, the US administration announced that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were "captured and flown out of the country". Subsequently, the US administration said it would "run" Venezuela "until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition". The lightning speed at which it all happened sent shock waves across the globe.

The official explanation the US has offered for its military action was "combating drug trafficking" and "protecting regional security". However, clearly there are far-reaching intentions behind the operation.

In the United States' recently issued National Security Strategy, the US administration focused on putting the Western Hemisphere first, and proposed the so-called "Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine". It declared that the US would restore "American preeminence" in the Western Hemisphere to prevent "foreign hostile forces" from gaining a foothold in key regional assets and influence. The strategy includes a stronger military presence, stricter border and drug controls, more active political influence mechanisms and the use of force when necessary.

The US military strike on Venezuela is a concentrated embodiment of the "corollary-style Monroe Doctrine" in practice. First, through military intervention, the US administration is moving away from a pattern which involved only imposing economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation. Saturday's strike is a case of direct military intervention, demonstrating US military presence in the Western Hemisphere at the strategic level.

Second, the strike was undoubtedly aimed at reshaping the regional power structure and balance of influence. Even in the National Security Strategy, the US clearly prioritizes curbing the influence by "competitors" as a key focus of its Western Hemisphere policy.

In this context, Venezuela carries symbolic significance, being an important partner of China in energy and infrastructure cooperation and a crucial node for Chinese investment and the Belt and Road Initiative's extension into Latin America. The US, through military intervention, disrupted the political stability of this key node.

The core logic is to strengthen the US' discourse power as the dominant force in the Western Hemisphere through violent deterrence and political intervention.

Of course, this strategy will come with significant backlash. Latin American countries have long sought strategic autonomy and diverse cooperation options. The US' excessive militarized intervention could prompt these countries to reassess their foreign strategies, even to deepen their resistance to external intervention, thereby fostering closer South-South cooperation. Thus, the use of hard power does not necessarily lead to the expected strategic compliance but may instead exacerbate tensions and security predicament in the region.

In summary, this event is both a strong signal of the US' strategic intentions and a high-risk gamble in the US' adjustment of its global strategy. It represents a clear and thorough rejection of international cooperation and multilateral rules, and declares the US' determination to impose its "hard power" on the international order, use military force to redefine its geopolitical influence boundaries and return to "backyard hegemony".

Zhao Pu is an assistant researcher at the Institute of American Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

US 'neocolonialism' cannot conquer justice

US troops invaded Venezuela on Jan 3, illegally capturing President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country. The US claimed it would prosecute them on US soil for facilitating drug trafficking, an act that not only severely undermines international law and tramples on international norms but also has profound implications for regional stability. At its core, the US aims to plunder Venezuela's abundant oil and gas reserves and reassert comprehensive control over the Western Hemisphere, essentially reenacting "neocolonialism" in the Americas.

Following the commencement of Trump's second term, the United States has significantly intensified its intervention and assertion of interests in the Western Hemisphere, introducing the "Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine", which vividly showcases the essence of hegemonism. The current Venezuelan government is seen as a cornerstone of the anti-American bloc, and for over two decades, the US has unsuccessfully attempted to achieve regime change in the country through various means.

During Trump's first term, the US supported opposition leader Juan Guaidó against the Maduro government, but the efforts failed. On resuming the presidency, Trump, confronted with global turmoil, urgently needs to establish US authority, gain tangible benefits and political capital, and fulfill the "America First" campaign promise, with Latin America being the easiest target for such endeavors.

By acting against Venezuela the US achieves a "triple win". First, Venezuela has abundant oil and gas reserves, from which the US can seize a large amount to gain substantial profits.

Second, overthrowing President Maduro serves as a deterrent to other Latin American countries that are not aligned with the US, warning them against opposing the US. Especially as an increasing number of Latin American countries attempt to pursue independent paths and explore mutually beneficial cooperation with major countries outside the region, the US aims to force Latin American countries to choose sides.

Third, it influences the regional political landscape by building a pro-American bloc. Latin American countries have entered a new era, with right-wing presidential candidates winning elections in Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, and Honduras in 2025; these newly elected leaders generally express a desire to strengthen cooperation with the US. As Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Costa Rica are set to hold elections in 2026, it is no surprise that the US seeks to expand its influence in the region to secure greater benefits.

However, such calculated maneuvers may backfire. Chilean President Gabriel Boric has condemned the US military operation in Venezuela and warned that "tomorrow it could be any other country".

More Latin American people are opposing the resurgence of the "Monroe Doctrine" and striving for an independent path. While might may overthrow a regime, it can never conquer the pursuit of justice.

Jin Xiaowen is an associate Professor at School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, and secretary-general of the Latin American Research Center.

The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.

WASHINGTON - At least 40 people were killed in US airstrikes on Venezuela on Saturday, including civilians and members of the armed forces, The New York Times reported, citing an anonymous senior Venezuelan official.

The large-scale attack took place in the early hours of the morning as US forces carried out an operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. The couple is now in custody in New York.

The newspaper said it had verified video footage showing thick smoke and repeated explosions near La Carlota Airport in the Venezuelan capital city of Caracas.

In Catia La Mar, a city west of the capital, an airstrike hit a three-story civilian apartment building, blowing out its exterior walls, said the newspaper, noting at least one elderly woman was killed, and another person seriously injured.

Multiple US media outlets, citing Venezuelan government sources, reported that in addition to Caracas, military targets in the Caribbean coastal states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira were also struck.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said earlier on Saturday that both civilians and military personnel were among the casualties but did not provide specific figures.

US President Donald Trump told Fox News in an interview on Saturday that during the operation to seize Maduro, some US personnel were injured, but no American troops were killed.

One US military aircraft was damaged, he added.

China has called on the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife at once and stop toppling the government of Venezuela, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Reports emerged on Saturday that the US had deployed forces to seize Maduro and his wife and forcibly take them out of the country, igniting widespread opposition from multiple countries.

In an online statement, China expressed grave concern over the US' move, describing it as a clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

The spokesperson called on Washington to ensure the personal safety of Maduro and his wife, and urged that issues be resolved through dialogue and negotiation.

The year 2026 has certainly begun with a bang! The US administration's illegal invasion of Venezuela and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on, as yet, trumped up, unsubstantiated charges, are symptomatic of the United States' Monroe Doctrine of 1823 — a US foreign policy named after former president James Monroe that viewed Latin America as the US' exclusive sphere of influence — and the days of earlier US gunboat imperialism that warned European powers to stay away from the Americas, because it defined the entire hemisphere to be in the US' sphere of influence.

The US' intervention in Venezuela and likely future ones in the region were made clear in US President Donald Trump's 2025 National Security Strategy released on Dec 4, which established what it calls the "Trump Corollary" to the Monroe Doctrine. The NSS asserts that the US must be "preeminent in the Western Hemisphere as a condition for our security and prosperity", allowing the US to "assert ourselves with confidence where and when necessary".

The NSS framework prioritizes several relevant objectives: controlling critical supply chains, ensuring continued access to key strategic locations, preventing "hostile foreign incursions", defeating drug cartels that they've classified, without evidence, as terrorist organizations, stopping "illegal and destabilizing migration", and countering Chinese and Russian influence in the region.

The NSS strategy crows that "the military system superior to any other country in the world" would be used to gain access to the region's energy and mineral resources.

This represents a seismic shift. Recent US administrations generally relied on agreements, benefits and occasional coercion. Now the emphasis seems to be on outright domination through military force, tariff wars and interventions without regard to international law.

Will the US administration stop at Venezuela? The US invasion of a sovereign nation has violated international law and endangered other Latin American countries. The US president has already sent warnings to other countries including Cuba.

Cuba represents a high-probability target. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's father was a Cuban exile, and like most former Cubans in the US and their families, Rubio viscerally detests Fidel Castro's 1959 victory. Cuba's long-standing adversarial relationship with the US, its close alliance with both Venezuela and Nicaragua, and its support for Maduro's regime provide clear motivations for US intervention.

Nicaragua? Rubio has also explicitly designated the husband-and-wife Daniel Ortega-Rosario Murillo regime as an "enemy of humanity", placing it in the same category as Venezuela and Cuba. In fact, during his February 2025 visit to Central America, Rubio emphasized that Trump opposes the "regimes" of Maduro, Miguel Díaz-Canel in Cuba, and Ortega-Murillo in Nicaragua, describing these three governments as responsible for creating the US immigration crisis.

President Gustavo Petro in neighboring Colombia, announced that security forces were deployed along the border to prepare for a possible refugee influx. Petro condemned the attack as an aggression against Venezuela and Latin America, urging de-escalation.

Ancient Roman emperors used bread and circuses to divert attention from political failures and misadventures. Modern politicians have often used wars to deflect attention from their shortcomings in what's termed a diversionary "wag the dog" strategy. With domestic opposition growing in the run-up to congressional, state and local elections in November, the US administration may just be beginning to borrow a page from this strategic playbook.

The author is a US scholar and a senior fellow at the Center for China and Globalization. 

The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.

CARACAS - Venezuela's Supreme Court of Justice on late Saturday ordered Vice President Delcy Rodriguez to immediately assume the role of acting president after President Nicolas Maduro's capture.

The judiciary's decision was read on national radio and television by the court's magistrate Tania D'Amelio.

"It is ordered that the citizen Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez, executive vice-president of the republic, assume and exercise in the capacity of acting President, all the powers, duties and faculties inherent to the position of President," said the supreme court decision.

The order also said that Rodriguez's role as acting president "should be exercised immediately."

Meanwhile, the court said it rejects and condemns the extremely serious military aggression carried out by the United States against the people and territory of Venezuela, as well as the kidnapping of Maduro and his wife.

It added that the US action flagrantly violates the Constitution and laws of Venezuela, as well as international law and the Charter of the United Nations, with the aim of seizing Venezuela's strategic resources.

The court said it stands with the Venezuelan people in defending national independence and sovereignty, and called on all parties to make joint efforts to maintain peace and stability in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in a large-scale US military operation against Venezuela early Saturday morning and were flown to New York.

China is deeply shocked by and strongly condemns the United States' blatant use of force against Venezuela, including airstrikes against both civilian and military sites in at least four states of the country and the seizure of the country's president.

Such hegemonic acts seriously violate international law and Venezuela's sovereignty, threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean region, and set a dangerous precedent for international relations.

The excuse offered by Washington — that of "counter-narcotics" — does not and cannot legitimize the invasion of a capital city, the bombing of sovereign territory, or the removal of a head of state. Such reasoning, if accepted, would grant powerful nations a universal license for military intervention, running directly counter to the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

Triumphantly announcing that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were "captured and flown out of the Country" , US President Donald Trump said that the US would "run" Venezuela on "a temporary basis" to "get the oil flowing", making clear the motivation for the US aggression.

The United Nations has added its voice to the chorus of condemnation, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing grave concern at the US' disregard for international law, saying that the developments are deeply troubling. Russia also said it was "extremely alarmed" by the US' "act of armed aggression". These remarks reflect the shared shock and opprobrium of the international community.

The strong responses worldwide, including those of some US allies and partners, to the US' "Operation Absolute Resolve" in Venezuela underscores a broad recognition that the use of force against a sovereign state is wrong.

History offers sobering lessons. External military interventions that seek regime change have repeatedly plunged countries into prolonged instability, humanitarian suffering and regional spillover. Violence may topple power structures overnight, but it cannot rebuild societies or win the trust of the people. What it does instead is to fracture states, inflame grievances and sow the seeds of enduring conflict.

The US' unjustifiable aggression destroys any moral authority it may have claimed. International rules apply to all, not only to some. When the strongest choose to disregard the law, the fence of rules is weakened for everyone. Such double standards hollow out international law and invite a world where might makes right — an outcome no country, especially those committed to peace and development, should accept.

China firmly opposes any act that violates another country's sovereignty and security. It calls on the US to abide by international law and the UN Charter, cease its military adventurism, and return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. The future of Venezuela must be decided by its people, not imposed from outside. Upholding international law is not optional; it is the foundation of global stability.

Power politics cannot be dressed up as legality. Coercion cannot substitute for diplomacy. The core tenets of sovereign equality and non-interference are not negotiable; they are the essential safeguards against global chaos.

MOSCOW -- Russia's Foreign Ministry denied that Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is in Russia, saying such claim by some media organizations is "fake news," TASS reported on Saturday, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Earlier, Spanish news agencies 20 minutos, The Objective and Vozpopuli reported that after the US attack on Caracas, Delcy Rodriguez gave an interview to the Venezuelan state TV channel VTV over the phone from Moscow.

Reuters confirmed this information, citing its sources.

Later, Cuban news agency Prensa Latina, citing Venezuela's national press, reported that Rodriguez is still in Venezuela.

On Saturday, Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered Rodriguez to assume the role of acting president following Maduro's capture.

BRASILIA -- Brazil's interim Foreign Minister Maria Laura da Rocha on Saturday said Brazil recognizes Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as the head of state in the absence of President Nicolas Maduro.

She added Brazil will continue to support international law, and all countries in safeguarding their sovereignty, and oppose any form of territorial aggression.

On the same day, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reiterated his previous position and condemned the US attack on Venezuela as well as the capture of Maduro and his wife.

Defense Minister Jose Mucio said the situation in Roraima state, which borders Venezuela, remains stable.

He added that Brazil has deployed 10,000 military personnel in the Amazon region, with 2,300 stationed in Roraima.

NEW YORK -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were captured in a large-scale US military strike on Venezuela early Saturday morning, will be sent to the Metropolitan Detention Center in New York, according to a report by CNN.

The military aircraft carrying the couple landed at the Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York State around 5 pm (2200 GMT) on Saturday afternoon, according to multiple reports and video footage.

Maduro and a few others will face charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices next week in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, according to an unsealed indictment released by the US Department of Justice on Saturday.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he called US President Donald Trump directly on Saturday to express his opposition to "a pursuit of regime change to the violation of federal, international law." Some people demonstrated against the US military action in Venezuela outside the Newburgh air base.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez demanded the "immediate release" of the Maduro couple at a session of the National Defense Council broadcast by a state television channel on Saturday.

The United States' seizure of Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro marks a dramatic escalation in Washington's long-standing practice of using force in Latin America to apprehend foreign leaders under domestic criminal indictments. While extraordinary, this episode is not without precedent. In Dec 1989, the United States invaded Panama to arrest General Manuel Noriega on drug trafficking charges, forcibly transferring him to the United States for trial.

Both cases involve the unilateral apprehension of a sitting head of state accused by Washington of involvement in narcotics trafficking. They raise fundamental questions of international law, particularly concerning the legality of the use of force against a sovereign state and the scope of immunity traditionally accorded to heads of state. Examined through the lenses of the United Nations Charter and the doctrine of state immunity, the seizure of Maduro stands on legally indefensible ground.

Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter obliges all member states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. A military operation to capture a foreign head of state on that state's own territory constitutes a clear violation of this core principal. In this respect, the United States' action represents a breach of Venezuela's sovereignty and of the Charter itself.

Washington has attempted to justify its conduct by invoking self-defense, claiming that Maduro's alleged "Cartel of the Suns" constitutes a threat to US national security and even characterizing cocaine trafficking as a form of "weapon of mass destruction". However, under Article 51 of the UN Charter, self-defense is permitted only in response to an actual armed attack. Venezuela has launched no such attack against the US. By expanding the concept of self-defense to encompass transnational drug trafficking, the US has stretched the doctrine beyond recognition.

The invocation of "weapons of mass destruction" further underscores the weakness of this argument. While widely used in political discourse, WMD is not a term authoritatively defined by treaty or customary international law. Recasting narcotics as WMD exploits this legal ambiguity and runs counter to the principle of good faith enshrined in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

The US might argue that Maduro's alleged crimes — such as torture or crimes against humanity — trigger universal jurisdiction, allowing any state to arrest perpetrators regardless of nationality or location. International law does recognize universal jurisdiction for certain grave offenses. However, the modern legal framework for prosecuting such crimes is centered on the International Criminal Court.

Under the Rome Statute, the ICC has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression — but only where states are unable or unwilling to prosecute. Crucially, the Court may exercise jurisdiction over a head of state only through established legal mechanisms, including referral by the UN Security Council under Article 13(b). Unilateral military abduction is not among them.

While the Rome Statute significantly erodes traditional head-of-state immunity —most notably through Article 27 — it does so within an institutional and legal framework designed to constrain power, not license its arbitrary use. The appropriate course for the United States, had it wished to pursue accountability, would have been to seek multilateral authorization through the Security Council and the ICC.

Instead, Washington has chosen to operate outside that system. The United States does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC and formally withdrew from the Rome Statute framework in 2002. In recent years, it has gone further, imposing sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors. This posture underscores a deeper contradiction: the United States insists on global accountability for others while exempting itself from the very institutions designed to deliver it.

Given the United States' veto power, meaningful consequences through the Security Council are virtually impossible. If such actions carry no international cost, the erosion of the UN-centered order will accelerate, inviting comparisons to the League of Nations in the 1930s — an institution rendered impotent by the unilateralism of its most powerful members.

Resorting to military invasion and the arrest of a sitting head of state, the United States has effectively abandoned the rules-based international order it long claimed to uphold, replacing it with a Hobbesian security culture characterized by coercion, zero-sum logic, and jungle law.

The author is a scholar at Brussels Research Institute on Development, Governance and Empowerment, through law, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

If you have a specific expertise, or would like to share your thought about our stories, then send us your writings at opinion@chinadaily.com.cn, and comment@chinadaily.com.cn.

Venezuela's top court orders VP Delcy Rodriguez to be acting president: media