Venezuela – Breaking Democracy–Add-On

When Rules No Longer Matter

by Michael Hollister
Exclusive published at Michael Hollister on January 18, 2026

2.013 words * 14 minutes readingtime

The Geopolitical Consequences of the Venezuela Precedent

For Subscribers – In-Depth Analysis and Strategic Perspective

I. Venezuela Was Not a Misstep – But a Test Run

The U.S. military intervention in Venezuela does not mark a one-time violation of international law. Rather, it is a strategic precedent that demonstrates how great powers will project power in the future without adhering to the old institutional boundaries that have seemed inviolable since 1945.

The key signals from this test run:

Illegality is accepted as long as it is backed by power. No UN mandate – and yet no binding sanctions. Violation of the prohibition on the use of force (Article 2(4) UN Charter) without tangible consequences.

The UN is not merely weak – it is systematically bypassable. Critical resolutions fail due to veto. Structurally strong states can violate norms themselves without suffering legitimacy losses.

Resources and power interests dominate over law and institutional order. Venezuela was less a problem per se – but rather a resource node: oil, capital flows, geopolitical ties to China/Russia, alternative payment systems.

These three aspects point to a fundamental shift: The international order is moving from a rules-based to a power-based world.

Venezuela was not a mistake — it was a rehearsal.
This subscriber-only analysis reveals what comes after the collapse of legal restraint: which regions are next, how China, Russia, and Iran are likely to respond, and why neutrality is no longer a viable strategy for smaller states. If you want to understand the rules of the world that is emerging now, this is the missing chapter. The deep analysis you can read here.