The US strike on northern Venezuela’s establishment on January 3 is a gross violation of international law and the principle of the sovereign equality of the nation-state. This noble principle, first articulated in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 — which ended the balkanization of Europe — was later reiterated in the Charter of the League of Nations after the First World War and in the UN Charter following the Second World War. The attack, codenamed “Operation Absolute Resolve,” can’t be justified as the US’ right to self-defense under international law, as there was no provocation from Caracas against Washington.

In fact, US President Donald Trump has long prepared for a confrontation with Venezuela, conducting military exercises in the Caribbean Sea for the past few months. Trump’s intentions seemed evident in his stern warnings to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro regarding the alleged infiltration of US territory by Venezuelan citizens with drugs, supposedly at the behest of Venezuela’s government.

However, the truth behind the attacks is quite different and relates to Venezuela’s vast natural reserves, including oil, coal and gold, which Trump has been eyeing to serve his country’s ever-rising energy security challenges. Beyond resources, the US aims to expand its sphere of influence by establishing a US-supported new regime in Caracas — a core pillar of its foreign policy since the end of the Second World War.

Disturbingly, Trump has supposedly bypassed Congress and singlehandedly executed his executive orders through Washington’s awesome military power against Caracas. The most disturbing part of this attack is the arrest of Maduro and his wife, who were brought back to the US to face trial in a US court. This plan is reminiscent of the US’ arrest of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in its fierce attack on Baghdad 20 years ago. They brought him to the US to face flimsy court proceedings, ultimately imposing the death penalty on him. It is possible that the same treatment could befall Maduro and his wife while in US custody.

Sovereign equality under siege

What kind of sovereign equality is this that superpowers, such as the US or Russia, and other major powers, including China, Germany, England, France and Israel, are able to violate it? Indeed, Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine is a blatant violation of the principle, and Israel’s years-long military campaign to stamp out Hamas forever, along with its campaigns against other Arab countries, further erodes respect for sovereignty. International relations remain the most lawless field, where the age-old brute principle, “might is right”, prevails, or naked power rules the roost.

While the US has already fabricated grave charges against President Maduro to justify this attack on Venezuela, the international community is aghast at the many international tensions, skirmishes and wars occurring throughout the world. These include China’s military preparations around Taiwan and throughout the South China Sea, mounting tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, tensions between Pakistan and India, internal unrest in Pakistan and civil wars in parts of Africa.

Additionally, the US attacked Iran’s nuclear establishment last year in June and has made threats to launch strikes again to destroy Tehran’s covert nuclear weapons program. Iran’s attack on Pakistan in January 2024 and India’s likely Operation Sindoor 2.0 also created panic in Islamabad. All these together gravely harm the barely emerging peaceful and secure environment of the Asian continent.

Escalating global tensions and the threat of war

While Russia, China and Iran are already allied against the US’ actions for different reasons, the blunt warning issued by North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-Un may further complicate the already volatile and grave situation in the world, possibly leading to a Third World War, in which the use of nuclear weapons by many belligerent countries is not ruled out. This potential nuclear holocaust threatens catastrophic loss of human life, ecosystems, property and the environment.

In this volatile context, the emerging saner voices of national leaders, religious personalities and responsible people across the world must unite — as the masses in the US, France, and other countries of Europe and elsewhere are doing — against any highhandedness or bullying by superpowers like the US, Russia, a fast-ascending China or any state whatsoever. These voices must condemn the gross lawlessness of these superpowers by launching a collective international opinion to demoralize and isolate them from the global mainstream.

Since the UN Security Council is powerless due to the veto power of the five permanent members, the UN General Assembly must unite to restrain such irresponsible actions in the common interest of peace and security worldwide. Maduro, along with his wife, must be released from the US’ illegal custody and safely returned to his position in Venezuela to face trial for human rights violations. The US must be condemned for this illegal invasion, and Trump must compensate the losses incurred by the victim nation and be tried for the war crimes committed so as to restore the solemn principle of “sovereign equality of the nation-state system” intact in letter and spirit.

Ultimately, the people of Venezuela must be allowed to choose their own leader, not President Donald Trump or any other foreign power. Such interference would indeed set a dangerous precedent, as no sovereign national leader will be safe in their own country.

[Kaitlyn Diana edited this piece.]

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.