Today, this world order—centered at the United Nations headquarters in New York, close to the courtroom where Nicolas Maduro was arraigned on Monday following his ousting in Venezuela—seems to be at risk of collapse as the principle of “might makes right” re-emerges on the global scene.
UN Undersecretary-General Rosemary A. DiCarlo informed the Security Council on Monday that the “maintenance of international peace and security depends on the ongoing commitment of all member states to adhere to all provisions of the (UN) Charter.”
US President Donald Trump claims that capturing Maduro was lawful. His administration has labeled the drug cartels operating from Venezuela as illegal combatants and has stated that the US is currently engaged in an “armed conflict” with them, according to an administration memo obtained in October by The Associated Press.
The operation to apprehend Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their residence on a military base in Caracas means they are facing charges for participating in a narco-terrorism conspiracy. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, defended the military action as a legitimate “surgical law enforcement operation.” This initiative aligns with the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy, published last month, prioritizing the restoration of “American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere” as a principal objective for the president’s second term in office.
But does this also serve as a potential model for future actions?
Concerns Grow Over Future Actions
On Sunday evening, Trump also issued warnings to Venezuela’s neighbor, Colombia, and its leftist president, Gustavo Petro.
Read more: Colombia’s President Petro says he is ready to ‘take up arms’ after Trump threats
In a dialogue with reporters, Trump described Colombia as “run by a sick man who likes to produce cocaine and sell it to the United States.” The Trump administration imposed sanctions in October on Petro, his family, and a member of his cabinet over allegations of involvement in the global drug trade, as Colombia is viewed as the epicenter of the world’s cocaine industry.
Analysts and certain global leaders—from China to Mexico—have criticized the mission in Venezuela, with some expressing fears that Maduro’s removal could lead to increased military interventions and a further decline of the global legal structure.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot remarked that the capture of Maduro “contradicts the principle of the non-use of force, which is foundational to international law.” He cautioned that the “growing number of violations of this principle by nations entrusted with permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council will have dire consequences for global security and will affect everyone.” Here are some global situations that could be influenced by shifting perspectives on these issues.
Ukraine
For nearly four years, Europe has been grappling with Russia’s aggressive actions in neighboring Ukraine, a conflict that strains the continent’s eastern region and the transatlantic NATO alliance and has been widely regarded as a serious violation of international law.
The European Union heavily relies on US support to keep Ukraine afloat, particularly following the administration’s warning that Europe must assume responsibility for its own security moving forward.
Vasily Nebenzya, the Russian ambassador to the UN, asserted that the mission to remove Maduro represented “a regression to a lawless era” by the United States. During an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, he called on the 15-member panel to “unite and decisively reject the tactics and methods of US military foreign policy.” Volodymyr Fesenko, chairman of the board of the Penta think tank in Kyiv, stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has systematically undermined the global order and weakened international law.
“Regrettably,” he noted, “Trump’s actions have perpetuated this trend.”
Greenland
Trump ignited another growing apprehension for Europe when he openly mused about the future of the Danish territory of Greenland.
“It’s so strategic right now. Greenland is swarming with Russian and Chinese ships,” Trump told reporters on Sunday while returning to Washington from his Florida residence. “We need Greenland for national security, and Denmark cannot manage it.”
Read more: Danish prime minister says US takeover of Greenland would mark end of NATO
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that Trump has “no right to annex” the territory, reminding him that Denmark already grants the US, a fellow NATO ally, broad access to Greenland through existing security agreements.
Taiwan
The operation to capture Maduro has sparked speculation regarding a potential similar move by China against Taiwan’s leader, Lai Ching-te. Just last week, in reaction to a US plan to sell a substantial military arms package to Taipei, China conducted two days of military drills surrounding the island democracy that it claims as its own territory.
However, Beijing is unlikely to replicate Trump’s action in Venezuela, which could be destabilizing and hazardous.
China has opted to gradually amplify pressure on Taiwan through military harassment, propaganda efforts, and political influence rather than targeting Lai specifically. The intention is to compel Taiwan to eventually accept a status akin to Hong Kong and Macau, which are governed semi-autonomously in theory but are increasingly under centralized control.
For China, Maduro’s capture introduces uncertainty about the Trump administration’s ability to act swiftly, unpredictably, and boldly against other governments. Beijing has condemned Maduro’s capture, labeling it a “blatant use of force against a sovereign state” and asserting that Washington is positioning itself as the “world’s judge.”
The Mideast
Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas has highlighted the international community’s failure to halt a devastating conflict. The United States, Israel’s closest ally, vetoed Security Council resolutions advocating for ceasefires in Gaza.
Trump has already shown his readiness to confront Israel’s neighbor and long-time US adversary Iran over its nuclear ambitions, with military strikes on Iranian sites occurring in June 2025.
On Friday, Trump warned Iran that if Tehran “brutally suppresses peaceful protesters,” the US will intervene.” Violence spurred by Iran’s struggling economy has resulted in at least 35 fatalities, activists reported Tuesday.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry denounced the “illegal US attack on Venezuela.”
Europe and Trump
The 27-nation European Union, another post-World War II entity designed to promote peace and prosperity, is navigating how to react to its traditional partner under the Trump administration. A clear indication of the increasingly tenuous transatlantic relationship is reflected in Trump’s national security strategy, which depicts the bloc as weak.
While asserting that Maduro has no legitimate political standing, the EU stated in a message regarding the mission to apprehend him that “the principles of international law and the UN Charter must be upheld,” adding that members of the UN Security Council “hold a distinct responsibility to uphold those principles.” However, outspoken Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Trump, disparaged the role international law plays in governing the actions of countries.
International regulations, he remarked, “do not dictate the choices of many great powers. This is glaringly obvious.”
