THE HAGUE, Jan 6: UN Undersecretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo emphasized to the Security Council that global peace depends on all member states adhering to the UN Charter.
The Trump administration maintains that the capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, was legal, classifying Venezuelan drug cartels as unlawful combatants and framing the operation as part of an “armed conflict” with them.
Maduro and Flores face charges of participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy. US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, defended the mission as a precise “surgical law enforcement operation.”
The operation aligns with Trump’s National Security Strategy, aiming to restore American dominance in the Western Hemisphere during his second term.
The bold action has raised questions about whether it could set a precedent for similar interventions against other leaders or governments, signaling a potential shift in US foreign policy tactics.
Worry rises about future action
On Sunday evening, On Sunday, Trump also targeted Colombia and its leftist President Gustavo Petro, calling him a “sick man” involved in cocaine trafficking to the US.
The Trump administration had imposed sanctions on Petro, his family, and a government official in October over alleged involvement in the global drug trade. Colombia is a major center of the world’s cocaine industry.
The US operation in Venezuela, capturing Nicolás Maduro, has drawn international criticism, with China, Mexico, and others expressing concern about potential precedent for further military interventions and erosion of global legal norms.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Maduro’s capture violates the principle of non-use of force, warning that repeated breaches by UN Security Council members could have serious consequences for international security.
Ukraine
Europe has relied heavily on US support during nearly four years of Russia’s war in Ukraine, a conflict seen as a serious breach of international law.
The US operation to capture Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro drew sharp criticism, with Russia calling it a “return to lawlessness” and urging the UN Security Council to reject US military tactics.
Analysts in Ukraine, like Volodymyr Fesenko, said Trump’s actions further undermine the global order and weaken international law, continuing a trend set by Putin.
Taiwan
The US operation to capture Venezuela’s Maduro has raised concerns about potential similar actions against Taiwan’s leader, Lai Ching-te, but China is unlikely to replicate such a direct move due to its high risks.
Beijing continues to exert pressure on Taiwan gradually, using military drills, propaganda, and political influence to push for a Hong Kong- or Macau-style control, rather than targeting leaders individually.
Maduro’s capture underscores the Trump administration’s unpredictability and willingness to act audaciously, prompting global unease. China condemned the operation as a “blatant use of force against a sovereign state,” criticizing Washington for overstepping its authority as the “world’s judge.”
The Mideast
Israel’s grinding attack on Gaza in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas underscored the international community’s inability to stop a devastating conflict. The United States, Israel’s staunchest ally, vetoed Security Council resolutions calling for ceasefires in Gaza.
Trump already has demonstrated his willingness to take on Israel’s neighbour and longtime US adversary Iran over its nuclear program with military strikes on sites in Iran in June 2025.
On Friday, Trump warned Iran that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the US will come to their rescue.” Violence sparked by Iran’s ailing economy has killed at least 35 people, activists said Tuesday.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the “illegal US attack against Venezuela.” (AP)
