Since January’s Operation Absolute Resolve, the U.S. extradition of Nicolás Maduro has forced a global reckoning. Whether viewed as a long-overdue act of justice or a controversial breach of international norms, this intervention has brought to the forefront the concept of “criminalized sovereignty”—a model where state institutions function as instruments of repression, corruption, and transnational crime rather than public governance.
At this Salon, we will explore the ramifications of the Maduro operation for Venezuela and examine whether we are witnessing a permanent shift in international accountability where the doctrines of universal jurisdiction, international criminal law, and national prosecutions begin to converge. We will also look at how the "Venezuela model" mirrors security states like Cuba and Iran, and discuss whether global institutions are equipped to handle an era where sovereignty is used as a shield for systemic abuse.
Key Questions for the Evening:
- Are we witnessing the emergence of a new category of international governance, one in which sovereignty itself becomes a shield for systemic abuses and transnational instability?
- What legal mechanisms exist when international institutions fail to act quickly enough?
- Is the Venezuela case a blueprint for dealing with similar regimes in Cuba, Iran, and elsewhere? Will other countries now be emboldened to use this premise for their own operations?
- Was this operation the inevitable product of the shifting US National Security Strategy, economic incentives in oil and rare earth minerals, or humanitarian intervention?
Location: Central Denver Location Provided to Registrants Before Event
Provided: Snacks, refreshments and conversation!
Moderator: Isaias Medina III is an international lawyer and former United Nations diplomat specializing in international criminal law, humanitarian intervention, and global security governance. While serving as legal counsel to the United Nations Security Council, he worked on issues related to the international criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda under Judge Theodore Meron and has participated in discussions at Princeton University’s Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination on the crime of aggression with the last Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz. He later helped organize a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on the crisis in Venezuela and submitted evidence to the International Criminal Court concerning alleged crimes against humanity committed by Maduro and senior Venezuelan officials. Medina has also advocated reforms to the Rome Statute addressing the weaponization of starvation as a war crime. He holds a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and has completed advanced programs at Cornell Law School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Penn State, focusing on leadership, technology, and international governance.
What is a DCFR Salon?
Expect differing opinions, opposing positions and contrasting views. Come prepared to share your views and speak your mind about some of the most pressing international issues facing us today!
Explore the Issue - Debate the Questions: A ‘DCFR salon’ is a social gathering where people respectfully discuss, exchange, and consider critical ideas, policy, and philosophy with respect to international relations and its impact on Colorado and the world.
Please note, DCFR Salons are members-only and it is limited to the first 15 guests. This is your chance to really get to know other members and learn from each other!