Nigerian human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has called on the United States Congress to sanction President Donald Trump over what he describes as an “illegal invasion” of Venezuela, warning that the action represents a grave breach of international law and the United Nations Charter.
In a strongly worded statement, Falana condemned reports that US forces bombed Caracas, toppled President Nicolás Maduro and seized control of Venezuela’s oil assets, alleging that the operation led to the deaths of scores of unarmed civilians.
He described the reported abduction and extraordinary rendition of a sitting president as a blatant violation of international law, accusing the international community of hypocrisy and double standards in its response.
Falana further alleged that the Trump administration is seeking to install a transitional government in Venezuela to exploit its vast oil and gas reserves, a move he said risks turning the South American nation into “a new colony of the United States”.
According to him, ideological differences with the Maduro administration cannot justify foreign military intervention or externally imposed regime change.
He argued that the Venezuela operation fits a wider pattern of what he termed “reckless gangsterism” by Trump during his second term, pointing to previous military actions allegedly carried out without the approval of the US Congress.
Falana cited earlier airstrikes on Iran and recalled Trump’s Christmas Day 2025 announcement of “powerful and deadly” strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in north-western Nigeria, which he said were also conducted without congressional authorisation.
Beyond Congress, Falana urged the US judiciary to reject what he called attempts to use domestic courts to undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty, warning that such moves violate the rights of the Venezuelan people under international law.
He also called on the United Nations to intervene, stressing that silence in the face of alleged violations would further erode the credibility of the global body.
As international tensions rise over reports that Maduro and his wife have been detained and charged in a US court, Falana’s remarks have reignited debate over unilateral military interventions and the role of international institutions in enforcing the rule of law.
