Leaders and immunityThe other legal issue this case has thrown up is the treatment of President Maduro. Irrespective of how someone came to office, under international law, what matters is the test of effective control. Thus, the larger question is whether the content of international law must change to address its abuse. The weakening of the domestic rule of law has negatively impacted the efficacy of international law in constraining power. While it is true that powerful nations use international law as an instrument to perpetuate their dominance, it is equally undeniable that several elements of international law are antithetical to authoritarianism.

Source: The Hindu January 07, 2026 08:10 UTC