France: The US military operation in Venezuela violates international law
In a significant diplomatic escalation, Sébastien Lecornu the recent US military operation in Venezuela as “illegal,” emphasizing his country’s rejection of the methods employed by Washington. These statements coincide with President Emmanuel Macron’s that he disapproved of the manner in which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was arrested, despite deep political disagreements with his regime.
“Everything in this affair is illegal,” Lecornu told the National Assembly, “from the practices of the Nicolás Maduro regime, through the controversial 2024 elections, to the US military operation, which violates the UN Charter.” The French official called for a return to the political process through a “democratic transition” led by opposition leader Edmundo González, whose election has already been recognized by Paris and several other Western capitals as the true winner of the recent elections.
Background to the crisis and the disputed elections
To understand the French position, one must consider the broader context of the Venezuelan crisis. Venezuela has been experiencing political and economic instability for years, which intensified significantly after the 2024 elections. These elections were widely accused of fraud by the international community and the Venezuelan opposition. The pro-government National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner, while the vote tallies published by the opposition showed a landslide victory for their candidate, Edmundo González. This discrepancy placed the international community, including France, in a delicate position, torn between rejecting Maduro's legitimacy and upholding the principles of international law that prohibit direct military intervention to change regimes.
International concern and international repercussions
For its part, the United Nations expressed grave concern over the military operation that led to Maduro's arrest, warning that it "undermined a fundamental principle of international law." Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told reporters in Geneva: "States must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.".
Commenting on the events in which US forces arrested Maduro and his wife under the cover of an airstrike and naval deployment, Shamdasani added, “This is what we are witnessing now,” calling on the international community to “speak with one voice and clearly state that this is an act contrary to international law.” Observers fear that this operation could set a dangerous precedent in international relations, allowing major powers to use direct military force to remove rival heads of state without international authorization, potentially threatening regional stability in Latin America and exacerbating global polarization.
