Is the US Capture of Maduro Legal Under International Law: This question is blowing up my feed today, and for good reason—it’s complicated and controversial. On one hand, the U.S. justifies the raid as enforcing domestic criminal indictments against Maduro for narco-terrorism, treating him more like a drug kingpin than a head of state (since Washington doesn’t recognize his legitimacy post-2024 elections).
But many international law experts are calling it a clear violation of the UN Charter’s ban on using force against another country’s sovereignty without UN approval or self-defense. There’s no armed attack here justifying that, and forcibly entering Caracas to grab a leader sets a risky precedent.Countries like France, Mexico, and Russia have condemned it outright, while others are more cautious. Domestically, some lawmakers worry about congressional authorization.It’s not black-and-white, but the outrage from allies and adversaries alike shows how divisive this is. History has parallels (more on that below), but in 2026, with global tensions high, this could reshape norms around interventions.I’d love to hear from legal buffs—what’s your take on the legality?