The tensions between the United States (US) and Venezuela had been soaring since long and reached an all-time high, with the former conducting multiple strikes in the latter's capital, Caracas, killing at least 40 people and capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. US President Donald Trump justified the strikes, accusing Maduro of supporting narco-terrorism.
The 79-year-old Republican president said Maduro, who was brought to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office in New York on Saturday, will face trials in the US. He also said that US companies will move to Venezuela, which has the world's largest oil reserves, and Washington will run the Latin American country until a new government takes charge.
"We will run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," said the US president at a press conference in Florida. "We can't take a chance that someone else takes over Venezuela who doesn't have the interests of Venezuelans in mind."
What did the US say on strikes on Venezuela?
Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has long been accused of being an 'illegitimate' ruler of Venezuela by the US. It has said that Maduro's regime is harbouring drug traffickers and narco-terrorist networks and has destabilised neighbouring countries through mass migration. The US has also alleged that Maduro is helping Colombia's armed groups such as National Liberation Army (Colombia) and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), destabilising the entire region.
US Vice President JD Vance has claimed that it had reached out to Venezuela for a settlement, Maduro's government had ignored all such offers. "The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States. You don't get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas," he posted on X.
So, are US strikes legal?
According to a memo obtained by the Associated Press (AP), the Trump administration had earlier announced that the US is in an 'armed conflict' with Venezuela. However, it is the US Congress which has broad authority to approve or prohibit the president’s war powers. According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Congress was not informed about the strikes before Saturday.
Such operations must be cleared by the Congress, but in the past, previous US governments had justified such military strikes on foreign lands if they were short and were crucial for the country's interest. However, experts say that Trump's operation has violated international laws and cannot be justified.
"Lawyers call it international armed conflict," Michael Schmitt, a former Air Force lawyer and professor emeritus at the US Naval War College, was quoted as saying by the AP. "Lay people call it war. So as a matter of law, we are now at war with Venezuela because the use of hostilities between two states clearly triggers an internal armed conflict."
What does the UN say?
The United Nations (UN) has criticised the US strikes and said they "constitute a dangerous precedent". In a statement, the UN said the military actions of the US will have "potential worrying implications for the region", calling for both sides to engage in "inclusive dialogue" to resolve the issues.
The US strikes violate the Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which states that "all UN member states shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." This means that Venezuela is a sovereign UN member state and any strike US strike is illegal.
