Statement on Venezuela, International Law, and the Protection of State Sovereignty
Youth Transforming Narratives unequivocally condemns the military attack carried out against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela under the direction of United States President Donald Trump without authorization from the United States Congress, as required under the U.S. Constitution. This act of aggression constitutes a grave violation of international law and represents a dangerous escalation that undermines the foundations of the rules-based global order.
YTN is further alarmed by the forcible detention and removal of Venezuela’s President and his wife by United States forces. Such actions constitute unlawful acts under international law, violating Venezuela’s sovereignty, the peoples’ right to self-determination, political independence, and the prohibition of intervention in the internal affairs of States. The attack on Venezuelan territory, carried out in the absence of both international authorization and domestic congressional approval, coupled with reported actions against its political leadership, constitutes a clear breach of these principles, as well as the obligation to resolve international disputes by peaceful means.
The United Nations Charter affirms the sovereign equality of all States and explicitly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. Equally serious is the violation of the right of peoples to self-determination, enshrined in the UN Charter and core international human rights treaties. The Venezuelan people alone have the right to determine their political future without external coercion, military intervention, or imposed foreign agendas. This right cannot be overridden by unilateral force or claims of moral or political policing.
YTN firmly rejects the notion that any State may act as the “world’s police.” International law does not permit unilateral enforcement through military power. Such conduct erodes multilateralism, weakens collective security, and sets a dangerous precedent that places all States, particularly those in the Global Majority, at risk.
No nation has the right to interfere in the governance or exploitation of another country’s natural resources, nor to impose its political or economic agenda under any pretext. Such actions, often justified in the name of “democracy,” represent a continuation of imperialism and modern-day colonization, unequivocally unacceptable practices. Youth worldwide, particularly those at the forefront of community and societal change, recognize and reject these tactics, demanding full respect for the sovereignty, self-determination, and independence of all nations.
We stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people, particularly Venezuelan youth. Young people bear the long-term consequences of war, instability, and foreign intervention, while being systematically excluded from decision-making processes. Military aggression destroys civic space and undermines youth agency, leadership, and prospects for a peaceful future.
Youth Transforming Narratives calls on the United Nations, including the Secretary-General and the Security Council, as well as the broader international community, to act urgently to stop this aggression, clarify the situation regarding the reported detention of Venezuelan leadership, and prevent further escalation. Silence or inaction risks normalizing unlawful uses of force, both internationally and domestically, and accelerating the erosion of international and constitutional legal frameworks.