The African Bar Association (AfBA) has issued a forceful rebuke of recent U.S. military actions targeting the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela—including the capture and removal of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores—calling the episode a blatant breach of international law and national sovereignty.
The AfBA’s statement signed by its President, High Chief Ibrahim Eddy Mark and Secretary General, Dr. Prudence Acirokop frames the operation not as a legitimate law-enforcement action but as an act of aggression that undermines the core principles of the post-World War IIinternational order, particularly Articles 1 and 2 of the United Nations Charter, which require states to refrain from the threat or use of force against another state’s territorial integrity or political independence. (TIME)
According to the association, the alleged “abduction” of President Maduro signals a dangerous shift in U.S. foreign policy toward a paradigm of might over right—a turn that threatens global peace and sets a precedent for military intervention without United Nations authorisation. (Chatham House)
A Broader Pattern, AfBA Says
In its release, AfBA expresses alarm that this intervention fits a pattern of what it describes as persistent U.S. repudiation of the international legal order, self-determination and peaceful coexistence among nations. That characterisation echoes responses from other global actors: African multilateral bodies and state governments have similarly called for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty and the peaceful settlement of disputes following the U.S. military strike that resulted in Maduro’s capture. (Anadolu Ajansı)
Multiple African governments have issued statements urging adherence to the principles of territorial integrity and non-interference, reiterating that no nation should enforce its domestic laws on another state’s soil without consent or a UN mandate. (IOL)
Legal and Geopolitical Faultlines
The controversy centres on the nature and legality of the U.S. operation, which was announced by President Donald Trump as a law-enforcement mission targeting alleged “narco-terrorism” but executed with military precision and bombardment that left Venezuelan military personnel and civilians dead. Maduro and Flores have since appeared in a U.S. court, pleading not guilty to drug-trafficking charges; Maduro himself has described his removal as a kidnapping. (TIME)
International legal experts and numerous states have challenged Washington’s justification, arguing that without a UN Security Council resolution, the use of force violates the UN Charter and threatens the foundations of a rules-based international system. (Al Jazeera)
Solidarity and Outcry
AfBA’s condemnation situates Africa within a broad chorus of global South voices and legal bodies that see the Venezuelan intervention as a bellwether for eroding norms on sovereignty and self-determination. The association underscores its solidarity with the Venezuelan people and urges the United Nations to take immediate steps to halt the aggression and hold the United States accountable.
“Our collective security is imperilled when powerful states act with impunity,” the AfBA statement asserts, stressing that international peace and justice must prevail over unilateral military interventions.
Key Developments You Should Know
- U.S. military operation in Venezuela (Operation Absolute Resolve) resulted in the capture and removal of President Maduro and his wife on Jan. 3, drawing widespread global criticism. (Wikipedia)
- Maduro and Flores have pleaded not guilty in a U.S. court to longstanding drug-related indictments. (Wikipedia)
- African regional bodies and international legal experts have warned that the operation threatens norms of sovereignty and international law. (Anadolu Ajansı)
- UN Charter violations debated at the Security Council, with several states calling for respect for territorial integrity. (Chatham House)
