What is “Operation Absolute Resolve”
Operation Absolute Resolve (OAR) received the go-ahead from President Trump late on January 3rd and was executed early the next morning in Venezuela. OAR had been planned for months, including covert surveillance on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s every move. Every step of the operation was meticulously planned in collaboration with the US Army Delta Force. For two hours and twenty minutes, US soldiers, planes, boats, and drones entered Venezuela and executed their objectives. Delta Force captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife, and they were delivered to New York City on Saturday. Both Maduro and his wife are currently being detained in a New York City prison and are expected to face federal drug trafficking charges. The stated reasoning for the United States’ operation was to fight the influx of drugs into the United States from Venezuela. President Trump also said that Maduro has been “emptying his prisons and insane asylums” and encouraging those people to immigrate to the United States. This quote from President Trump was not supported by evidence.
What comes next, for both Venezuela and the United States?
Operation Absolute Resolve leaves Venezuela in a volatile state. In a press conference shortly after the operation, President Trump stated that the United States would temporarily “run the country.” President Trump implied that if Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez follows Trump’s orders, the United States can have minimal involvement. When asked if he would deploy US troops to Venezuela to organize the country, President Trump stated, “No, if Maduro’s vice president — if the vice president does what we want, we won’t have to do that.” President Trump also added that he is “not afraid of boots on the ground.” President Trump agreed to an oil deal with Venezuela worth an estimated $500 million, but no long-term structure has been put in place. The United States has imposed sanctions on imports from Venezuela, aiming to halt trade in and out of the country. Currently, former Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, is serving as interim president.
Was Operation Absolute Resolve Legal?
To understand the legality of Operation Absolute Resolve, it is necessary to understand that President Trump and the United States Military not only captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, but also plan to temporarily “run the country” (quoted from President Trump). The United States has not yet detailed its complete legal reasoning for the operation. OAR raises questions in both international and domestic law. First of all, the execution of Operation Absolute Resolve may not even be legal under United States law. The United States War Powers Resolution of 1973 “requires Presidents to notify Congress within 48 hours of sending U.S. armed forces into hostilities or certain other situations abroad.” President Trump and his cabinet failed to notify Congress of the impending operation. It is unclear whether Trump will face punishments for violating US law, but it firmly questions the bounds of presidential power. Under Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter, which the United States ratified, “a nation may not use force on the sovereign territory of another country without its consent, a self-defense rationale, or the authorization of the U.N. Security Council.” In the past, the United States has executed operations without UN consent, either with consent from the attacked country or in self-defense. OAR was executed without any of the three legitimizers. That being said, arresting someone to face trial, as in the case of Maduro, is not a violation of international law. The defense of the operation using the objective of retrieving Maduro could legalize the operation, but if the United States stays to run Venezuela, that would violate the UN Charter.
The verdict on Operation Absolute Resolve:
Operation Absolute Resolve will have a significant impact on the future geopolitical landscape and will push the limits of Presidential power. First of all, President Trump should have alerted Congress and made a greater effort to ensure that his actions were lawful. Secondly, the most glaring issue is undoubtedly the scary international precedent set by this operation. Trump sending troops onto the ground of a sovereign country without having one of the required factors from the UN Charter is undoubtedly a violation of international law and sets a dangerous precedent. Whether it be with the United States and Iran, or China and Taiwan, this operation in Venezuela pushes the boundaries as to what major powers can do to a sovereign country. While there may be short-term benefits for the Venezuelan people and the US oil market, they do not outweigh the detrimental long-term effects of a dangerous international precedent.
