The International Bar Association (IBA) expresses concern about the recent military intervention in Venezuela, which, regardless of any alleged justification, raises serious questions from the perspective of international law.
The IBA is fully aware of the serious and well-documented allegations against Nicolás Maduro and senior officials in his government, including grave human rights violations, the suppression of democratic institutions, and conduct that has contributed to widespread humanitarian suffering. These allegations are deeply troubling and demand rigorous scrutiny and accountability, both under domestic and international law, through legitimate mechanisms, including independent international or domestic judicial proceedings.
However, the Charter of the United Nations, whose fundamental principles have been fully enshrined in the IBA Constitution since 1947 and are consistently upheld by the Association, enshrines the essence of the international legal order, including the sovereign equality of States, the prohibition of intervention in matters within national jurisdiction, and the prohibition of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. These principles are binding on all UN Member States.
Measures or policies aimed at coercing political change in another State, when implemented outside internationally recognized legal frameworks, are incompatible with these obligations and risk normalizing behaviors that international law sought to prevent. Even in the face of persistent reprehensible conduct by state leaders, adherence to international law remains essential to preserving the integrity of the rules-based international order.
The IBA encourages a democratic transition in Venezuela that respects the rule of law.
