Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela, and the United States: the blurred line between sovereignty and global justice.

PHOENIX – There are moments in international politics when events cannot be understood as isolated acts, but as the convergence of processes accumulated over years, even decades.

“Nicolás Maduro becomes the center of a global debate on sovereignty and transnational justice”

Barriozona Magazine

The capture of the President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores by United States forces on January 3, 2026 sits in that category.

Barriozona Magazine

Beyond its immediate impact, the episode raises fundamental questions about sovereignty, transnational justice, and the use of power in an international system that is increasingly fragmented.

The accusations against Maduro did not arise abruptly.

“Nicolás Maduro becomes the center of a global debate on sovereignty and transnational justice”

Barriozona Magazine

In March 2020, the United States Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) filed formal charges against him and other Venezuelan officials for narcoterrorism, cocaine trafficking, corruption, and weapons-related offenses.

From one perspective, certain transnational crimes justify the extraterritorial action of states.

From another, the capture of a serving or de facto head of state represents a serious violation of sovereignty and a precedent difficult to reconcile with international law.

Barriozona Magazine