Shashi Tharoor reacted sharply to the US military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, calling it a stark example of global power politics. Taking to X, he warned that “might is right” seems to prevail today
Indian politician and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor weighed in on the
United States’ controversial military action against Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Tharoor, who serves as chairman of the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, didn’t mince words in his reaction to what he called a stark example of global power politics.
Tharoor took to X to voice his concerns about what he sees as a broader
erosion of international norms.
“International law and the UN Charter have for some years now been honoured in the breach. The Law of the Jungle prevails today. ‘Might is Right’ is the new creed,” he wrote, responding to a post by author Kapil Komireddi that highlighted perceived double standards in global responses to powerful nations’ actions.
International law and the UN Charter have for some years now been honoured in the breach, @kapskom. The Law of the Jungle prevails today. “Might is Right” is the new creed. https://t.co/0g7nll3J7e
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 4, 2026
The US operation came after months of escalating pressure on Venezuela, culminating in a strike that toppled Maduro and saw him taken to New York to face drug and weapons charges.
A broader global debate
Tharoor was responding to an argument that criticisms of Venezuela’s situation might not be as strong if a powerful country like China were to act against another nation’s leadership.
“All those condoning the gangsterism in Venezuela today will shriek ‘international law’ and ‘UN Charter’ when China abducts Taiwan’s president,” Komireddi wrote in his post.
Tharoor’s comments reflect a broader concern from several global leaders and analysts over the legality and implications of the US move. Critics argue that bypassing established international frameworks could weaken global institutions like the United Nations and erode the rules‑based order that many countries have long upheld.
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US attack on Venezuela and capture of Maduro: America’s way is the highway
Where is Maduro and his wife now?
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are currently in
United States custody and are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, New York.
The couple was transported by air to New York to face federal indictments for narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons charges. They are expected to remain at the Brooklyn facility—the same jail that has housed other high-profile detainees—until their scheduled arraignment in a Manhattan federal court later this week.
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