What is it about?
The commentary argues that a U.S. military intervention in Venezuela in January 2026 ended a real opportunity for a coordinated international response under the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). It shows that R2P depends not only on moral legitimacy but on powerful states choosing to act multilaterally. When a dominant power intervenes alone, the norm survives in theory but becomes unusable in practice.
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Why is it important?
This matters because it shows that early, coordinated international action can prevent crises from escalating and reduce the justification for powerful states to act alone. Strong multilateral responses protect both vulnerable populations and the legitimacy of international norms.
Perspectives
The US intervention of Venezuela shows how easily international norms can be sidelined when powerful states act alone. By reflecting on what went wrong, we can strengthen multilateral cooperation and better prevent future crises in an increasingly unstable world.
Dr. Helder Ferreira Do Vale
XianJiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU)
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The Venezuelan Crisis: From Multilateral R2P to US Unilateral Control, Global Responsibility to Protect, February 2026, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/1875984x-20262001.
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