Khaberni - The "Guardian" newspaper warned that the American military operation in Venezuela, and the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro, may set a serious precedent at the international system level, if Washington faces no legal or political repercussions.
The newspaper quoted international law experts stating that the lack of accountability might encourage other nations to conduct unilateral military operations that violate international law, considering the potential repercussions extend beyond Venezuela to major tension areas around the world.
Former war crimes judge at the United Nations, Jeffrey Robertson, said, "The most obvious outcome is that China might exploit this precedent to invade Taiwan," adding that the timing seemed appropriate from Beijing's viewpoint, in light of what he described as "Trump's precedent of invading Venezuela and tolerance with the Russian invasion of Ukraine."
Robertson considered what happened in Venezuela to fall under "the crime of aggression," the same crime committed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Professor of International Law, Elvira Dominguez Redondo, believed that the American operation would lead to further weakening of the International Security Council, stating, "The Security Council was a mechanism to prevent World War III, but it has effectively been dismantled."
She pointed out that this erosion was not only due to the United States but also due to previous interventions by Western countries without UN authorization.
The report added that the United States possessing veto power ("the veto") makes imposing any UN sanctions against it nearly impossible, enhancing the impression that the rule-based international system is incapable of deterring major powers, and opens the door to a less stable and more conflict-prone world.
