Trump’s action could set precedent for authoritarian leaderspublished at 06:38 GMT
06:38 GMT
Jeremy Bowen
International editor
Image source, EPAThe Maduro operation amounts to another serious blow to the idea that the best way to run the world is to follow an agreed set of rules, as laid out in international law.
The idea was tattered before Donald Trump took office, but he has already demonstrated repeatedly both in the US and internationally that he believes he can ignore laws he doesn’t like.
A few hours before Maduro and his wife were seized, Trump met Chinese diplomats at his palace in Caracas.
China condemned the US action. It said “hegemonic acts of the US seriously violate international law and Venezuela’s sovereignty and threaten peace and security in Latin America and the Caribbean region”.
The US should “stop violating other countries’ sovereignty and security”.
Even so, China might see a precedent set by the US action.
It regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has declared that returning it to control of Beijing is a national priority.
Donald Trump seems to believe that he makes the rules, and what applies to the US under his command does not mean others can expect the same privileges.
But that is not how the world of power works.