International law expert explains the complexity of the Trump administration’s actions against Venezuela

Donald Trump

January 6th, 2026

On the top left, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump look off to the left, on the bottom left, a trial sketch of Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and on the right, airstrikes — The United States military carried out a series of air strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, over the weekend. (Molly Riley, The White House and Elizabeth Williams/Associated Press)

On Saturday, the U.S. military carried out a series of air strikes in Venezuela and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

The Trump administration alleges Maduro and co-conspirators have used “his illegally obtained authority and the institutions he corroded to transport thousands of tons of cocaine to the United States.”

Maduro has been charged with narco-terrorism, cocaine importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns and destructive devices. Maduro and his wife have both pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has announced plans for U.S. companies to take over oil production with military support.

On Tuesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” program host Rose Scott talked with Laurie Blank, a clinical professor of law and director of the International Humanitarian Law Clinic at Emory University. During the discussion, Blank gave an analysis of the unfolding situation, the charges against Maduro and Flores and the legal context of prosecuting them in U.S. federal court.