The Implications of Trump’s Abduction of the Venezuelan President under International Law and International Custom

Abstract

The article examines the January 2026 U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the abduction and forcible transfer of President Nicolás Maduro, arguing that it constitutes a manifest violation of foundational norms of international law. It analyzes the breach of the prohibition on the use of force in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, the non‑applicability of self-defense, and the characterization of the operation as an act of aggression under the Rome Statute.
The study further contends that ignoring head‑of‑state immunity and Venezuelan sovereignty contravenes long‑standing customary rules on personal and functional immunities. Beyond the individual case, the article explores how this precedent undermines the rules‑based international order, weakens peaceful dispute‑settlement mechanisms, and threatens the stability of diplomatic relations. It concludes that the “Caracas precedent” risks normalizing unilateral kidnappings of foreign leaders and eroding the normative distinction between law and power in global governance.