US’ Capture of Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro

On January 3, 2026, the United States launched "Operation Absolute Resolve," a military and law enforcement raid that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The operation involved over 150 aircraft and elite Delta Force units, who breached Maduro’s fortified residence in Caracas under the cover of a city-wide blackout. The raid was the culmination of years of escalating tension, primarily driven by the 2024 Venezuelan electoral crisis and a series of U.S. federal indictments.

The U.S. Department of Justice justifies the capture by categorizing Maduro not as a sovereign head of state, but as a "fugitive from justice". The Council's primary task is to determine a framework for Venezuela’s future that prevents a full-scale civil war or prolonged foreign occupation, ensuring that the pursuit of criminal justice does not permanently dismantle the international order of state sovereignty. Note: The issue in Venezuela has connections with its oil reserves.

Debate Focus: To what extent can the international community balance criminal accountability for heads of state with the necessity of preserving national sovereignty and preventing civil war?