President Donald Trump broke international law.
The United States of America on January 3, 2026, launched a military operation codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, involving airstrikes in Caracas, and a targeted raid captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
The capture of a sitting head of state on foreign soil has triggered a global condemnation from leaders who sympathize with Maduro, citing that international law has been broken. Under international law, the sovereignty of a nation and the immunity of its leaders are foundational principles.
The UN Charter Article 2 (4) prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state without the UN Security Council mandate or a clear case of self-defence as defined in Article 51; the strike constitutes an act of illegal aggression.
The international law generally grants a sitting Head of State absolute immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of a foreign state; by capturing Maduro to face drug trafficking charges in a U.S. court, the U.S. has effectively ignored this long-standing diplomatic protection. By also capturing the First Lady, Cilia Flores, it raises questions regarding the Vienna Convention, which protects high-ranking officials and their immediate families from detention while abroad or in their official capacity.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a U.S. federal law designed to limit the President’s ability to commit troops to armed conflict without Congressional approval, stemming from the Vietnam War era when presidents sent forces abroad without formal declarations of war. It requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces, consult Congress and remove troops after 60 days.
In a media brief, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Congress was notified after the fact.
President Trump, in a media brief at Mar-A-Lago, Palm Beach, said, “We’re going to run the country (Venezuela) until such time we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.”