When rules don't apply: What US action on Venezuela means for PhilippinesA woman holds a portrait of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a gathering in Caracas on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured him. But already, observers and other world leaders are saying it violated Venezuela’s sovereignty and bypassed international rules designed to prevent exactly this kind of intervention. "He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected," it added. An independent commission established by the Dutch government concluded that the 2003 Iraq invasion contravened international law. “Any weakening of international law and norms — especially by actors like the US — negatively affects us,” Arguelles told Philstar.com.

Source: Philippine Star January 05, 2026 12:49 UTC