As a result, international law, and the “rules-based international order,” are losing legitimacy, revealing a dangerous vacuum. The abduction of Venezuelan ruler Nicolas Maduro has been widely criticized as a violation of international law, but it can be justified on the basis of natural law. International law emerged on the foundation of natural law. In doing so, America’s leaders have not been motivated mainly by an obligation to follow international law, and they have occasionally violated or twisted international law when they felt it necessary. With freedom increasingly challenged, and moral distinctions blurred by the contradictions of international law, attention to natural law is more important than ever.

Source: International New York Times January 26, 2026 06:55 UTC