The International Bar Association (IBA) has raised alarm over what it described as a recent military intervention in Venezuela, warning that any use of force—regardless of political justification—poses serious challenges to international law and the global rules-based order.
In a statement issued Sunday, January 4, 2026, the IBA acknowledged longstanding and well-documented allegations against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and senior members of his government, including human rights abuses, democratic backsliding and actions that have fueled widespread humanitarian suffering.
But the global legal body stressed that even grave misconduct by state leaders does not justify actions that undermine the foundational principles of international law.
“The allegations are deeply troubling and warrant robust scrutiny and accountability,” the IBA said, adding that such accountability must be pursued through lawful means, including international or independent domestic judicial processes.
The association warned that military or coercive actions aimed at forcing political change in another state—when undertaken outside internationally recognised legal frameworks—violate the United Nations Charter and risk normalising conduct international law was designed to prevent.
The UN Charter, the IBA noted, enshrines core principles including the sovereign equality of states, non-intervention in domestic affairs, and the prohibition of the threat or use of force against a state’s territorial integrity or political independence—obligations binding on all UN member states.
“Even in the face of ongoing reprehensible conduct by state leaders, adherence to international law remains essential to preserving the integrity of the rules-based international order,” the statement said.
The IBA said it remains committed to the promotion of democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela, urging that any political transition must be achieved through lawful, democratic processes rather than military intervention.
The statement was signed by IBA President Claudio Visco and Executive Director Mark Ellis.
