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Picture of fire at Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela's largest military complex

International Law and the U.S. Military and Law Enforcement Operations in Venezuela

Experts survey the international law issues of Operation Absolute Resolve.

Maduro Capture Operation and the President’s Duty to Faithfully Execute U.N. Charter

A decades-old Office of Legal Counsel memorandum claiming the President can disregard the UN Charter does not withstand serious scrutiny.
12/21/25 Editor's Note: The broadcast lineup for tonight's edition of 60 Minutes has been updated. Our report "Inside CECOT" will air in a future broadcast.

Fact Checking Bari Weiss: The Stated Reasons for Spiking 60 Minutes “Inside CECOT”

"If 60 Minutes had 'explained this' as Weiss described, the segment would have included false or highly misleading information."
An oil tanker remains anchored at the dock during a walk around the outskirts of the 'El Palito' refinery on December 18, 2025 in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela.

Maritime Law Enforcement on the High Seas: Authority, Jurisdiction, and the Seizure of The Skipper

An expert explainer on the U.S. boarding and seizure of the oil tanker, “The Skipper,” off the coast of Venezuela.
Two crude oil tankers

Blockading Venezuela: The International Law Consequences

Expert analysis of the announced U.S. military blockade of Venezuela
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answers questions during a press briefing

Was the Visit and Seizure of the Skipper off the Coast of Venezuela Lawful?

Experts examine the international law basis of the U.S. boarding and seizure of a vessel carrying Venezuelan crude.
Aerial view of the Pentagon

The International Law Obligation to Investigate the Boat Strikes

Operation Southern Spear’s lethal boat strikes are unlawful under IHRL and, even on the administration’s own terms, trigger binding LOAC and DoD duties to investigate.

The Law on Targeting Shipwrecked Drug Traffickers: Expert Backgrounder

Detailing how, under different scenarios, international law and U.S. past practices apply to Sept. 2 boat strike on survivors.
The U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, including the flagship USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), left, USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), front, USS Mahan (DDG 72), back, USS Bainbridge (DDG 96), and embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight F/A-18E/F Super Hornets assigned to Strike Fighter Squadrons 31, 37, 87, and 213, operates as a joint, multi-domain force with a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress, Nov. 13, 2025; transiting the Anegada Passage and entered the Caribbean Sea, Nov. 16, 2025

Operation Southern Spear: Why the Crews, Drugs, and Boats are Not Targetable

A deep dive on the international law applicable to the U.S. military's lethal operations against suspected drug boats
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrives to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on June 18, 2025 in Washington, DC.

U.S. Boat Strike Campaign: Questions Congress Should Ask Executive Branch Officials

A list of questions that should be answered by U.S. government officials regarding the lethal campaign against suspected drug trafficking individuals, groups, and vessels.
The Just Security Podcast Cover Image

The Just Security Podcast: Murder on the High Seas Part IV

Co-hosted with RCLS, a panel of experts discuss the Trump administration's continued campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers.
US Marines unload from an Osprey V-22 aircraft at Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport

Killing Shipwrecked Survivors is Not Just Illegal—It Endangers U.S. Servicemembers

If the United States chooses a path where killing defenseless survivors becomes acceptable, American servicemembers will pay the price for that choice.
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