Capture of Maduro and US claim it will run Venezuela raise new legal questions
January 3, 2026
Legal questions are being raised about the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s president and U.S. plans to “run” the South American country. Nicolás Maduro was seized in the middle of the night and U.S. officials say he’ll face narcoterrorism conspiracy charges in New York. Experts say the U.S. military’s capture of Maduro may violate international law. A former Navy attorney says he sees no legal basis for the U.S. to go into another country and take a leader without an extradition treaty. Congress hasn’t authorized military action in the region but also hasn’t passed measures blocking the Trump administration from acting.