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Sovereignty, non-intervention, and the UN’s peace principles collide with Washington’s bid to choke Venezuela’s oil shipments through a naval blockade.

The latest threat from United States President Donald Trump against Venezuela, a country on which he has unilaterally decreed a naval military blockade to impede oil exports, blatantly violates a series of international legal instruments.

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Trump’s actions, disregarding the very norms governing international coexistence, portray him as an omnipotent leader capable of ordering extraterritorial operations worldwide.

This aggression against Venezuela, a sovereign nation possessing the largest oil reserves globally, undermines every organism, statute, convention, and resolution within the United Nations system.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how Trump’s imperialist actions against Venezuela contravene international law:

Undermining the UN Charter: A Direct Challenge to Sovereignty

The United Nations Charter stands as the foundational document of international relations, establishing principles for peaceful coexistence and respect among sovereign states.

Article 2, in particular, outlines critical tenets that Trump’s policies directly contravene:

• Article 2.1: Sovereign Equality of All Members The UN Charter is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its Members. Venezuela, as a member state, is entitled to the same respect for its sovereignty as any other nation.

• The imposition of a naval blockade by the US, a foreign power, disregards this fundamental principle, treating Venezuela not as an equal but as a subordinate entity subject to external dictates. This action fundamentally challenges the notion that all states possess equal legal standing and are free from external interference in their internal affairs.

• Article 2.3: Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes Members of the Organization shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.

• The US’s declaration of a naval blockade, a hostile and coercive measure, is a stark deviation from the peaceful resolution of disputes. It introduces an element of force and intimidation, escalating tensions rather than seeking diplomatic or mediated solutions, thereby endangering international peace and security.

• Article 2.4: Prohibition of the Threat or Use of Force Members of the Organization shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

• A naval military blockade unequivocally constitutes a threat and use of force. Its explicit aim to prevent oil exports directly impacts Venezuela’s economic lifeblood, threatening its political independence and territorial integrity by dictating its trade and maritime access.

• This action is a clear violation of one of the most sacrosanct principles of international law, established to prevent aggression and ensure state autonomy.

• The blockade is not merely an economic sanction but a coercive military action designed to cripple the nation and force a change in its political course, a blatant infringement upon its self-determination.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responds to Tuesday's statements by United States President Donald Trump regarding Venezuela, reiterating Mexico's constitutional position of non-intervention, non-interference in foreign affairs, the self-determination of peoples, and the… pic.twitter.com/UCm1ATlc0z

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) December 17, 2025

The Right to Self-Determination: A Pillar of Human Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by numerous nations, affirms the inherent right of all peoples to self-determination.

This right is pivotal for a nation’s development and autonomy.

• Article 1.1: Free Determination of Political Status and Development

• All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right, they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.

• The US blockade, aimed at disrupting Venezuela’s economic activities and destabilizing its government, directly impedes the Venezuelan people’s ability to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic and social development.

• By targeting the nation’s primary source of income, the blockade seeks to undermine the existing political order and dictate the terms of Venezuela’s future, thereby denying its people their fundamental right to choose their own path without external coercion.

• Article 1.2: Free Disposal of Natural Wealth and Resources For the attainment of their ends, all peoples may freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law.

• In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence. Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, which are its primary natural wealth.

• The naval blockade, designed to prevent the export of this oil, directly deprives the Venezuelan people of their means of subsistence.

• This act is a severe violation of their economic self-determination, stripping them of the ability to utilize their resources for national development and the welfare of their population. It is an economic warfare tactic that directly threatens the survival and well-being of millions, contravening the core principle that no people should be deprived of their essential resources.

Freedom of the High Seas: A Universal Right

The 1958 Geneva Convention on the High Seas establishes the principle that the high seas are open to all nations, ensuring freedom of navigation.

Article 2: No State May Subject the High Seas to its Sovereignty

The high seas being open to all nations, no State may validly purport to subject any part of them to its sovereignty.

The freedom of the high seas is exercised under the conditions laid down in these articles and by other rules of international law.

It comprises, inter alia, both for coastal and non-coastal States:

• 1. Freedom of navigation. By imposing a naval blockade, the US attempts to exert sovereign control over international waters to prevent Venezuelan vessels and those trading with Venezuela from navigating freely.

This action is a direct challenge to the principle of the high seas as a global common, accessible to all.

It represents an illicit extension of power beyond national jurisdiction, infringing upon the rights of Venezuela and other nations to engage in legitimate maritime activities without interference.

• Article 4: Right to Flag for All States Every State, whether coastal or not, has the right to sail ships under its flag on the high seas.
• The US blockade directly interferes with Venezuela’s right, and the right of any vessel flying its flag or doing business with it, to navigate the high seas.
• This act disrupts international trade, poses a threat to maritime security, and undermines the established norms of global commerce and navigation.
• It creates a dangerous precedent where a powerful nation can unilaterally dictate access to international waters based on political disagreements, an action that threatens the stability of the entire maritime legal framework.

Permanent Sovereignty Over Natural Resources:

A Development Imperative UN General Assembly Resolution 1803 (XVII) of December 14, 1962, titled “Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources,” reaffirms the inalienable right of nations to control and utilize their natural wealth for national development.

• Resolution 1803 (XVII), Paragraph 1:

Exercise of Sovereignty for National Development and Welfare

The right of peoples and nations to permanent sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources must be exercised in the interest of their national development and of the well-being of the people of the State concerned.

The US naval blockade on Venezuela’s oil exports directly obstructs Venezuela’s ability to exercise this fundamental right.

By preventing the sale of its oil, the US effectively undermines Venezuela’s national development efforts and directly impacts the well-being of its population, which relies on oil revenues for essential services and economic stability.

This is not merely an economic sanction but an attempt to control and undermine the sovereign management of a nation’s vital resources.

• Resolution 1803 (XVII), Paragraph 7:

Violation of Sovereign Rights and International Cooperation

The violation of the sovereign rights of peoples and nations over their natural wealth and resources is contrary to the spirit and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and hinders the development of international co-operation and the maintenance of peace.

The blockade represents a clear violation of Venezuela’s sovereign rights over its natural resources.

Such an aggressive act not only contravenes the spirit of the UN Charter but also significantly impedes international cooperation, fostering an environment of mistrust and antagonism.

By disrupting Venezuela’s ability to engage in international trade of its primary resource, the US action directly threatens regional and global peace, creating economic instability and humanitarian concerns.

Broader Context and Implications

The Trump administration’s aggressive stance against Venezuela is part of a broader pattern of applying unilateral coercive measures, often termed “sanctions,” which have been widely criticized for their extraterritorial reach and their devastating impact on civilian populations.

These actions are consistently condemned by many international bodies and human rights organizations as collective punishment.

The declaration of a naval military blockade escalates these measures to an unprecedented level, moving from economic pressure to direct military coercion.

This imperialistic approach, where one nation presumes the right to dictate the economic and political future of another, not only erodes the foundations of international law but also fuels geopolitical tensions.

It sets a dangerous precedent, demonstrating a disregard for multilateralism and the principles of state sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference that underpin the international order.

The international community, especially the nations of the Global South, views these actions with grave concern, recognizing them as an assault on the fundamental rights of all sovereign nations to pursue their development free from external meddling.

In summary, the US naval military blockade against Venezuela is not merely a policy decision but a comprehensive attack on international legal norms.

It undermines the UN Charter’s principles of sovereign equality and non-aggression, violates the fundamental human right to self-determination and access to subsistence, disregards the universally recognized freedom of navigation on the high seas, and infringes upon Venezuela’s permanent sovereignty over its natural resources.

These actions, far from promoting stability, serve only to destabilize the region and threaten the fragile edifice of international law.

The global community must reaffirm its commitment to these foundational principles to prevent a return to an era where might makes right and international law is merely an optional guideline for powerful nations.

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