Latin America is not a backyard, says Celso de Mello about Trump

Former dean of the STF says that the possible capture of Nicolás Maduro by US forces would violate international law and set a dangerous precedent in the region

A serious rumor mobilizes the international community. The plan attributed to former US President Donald Trump to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro represents more than a geopolitical maneuver. Faced with this threat, the retired minister of the Federal Supreme Court, Celso de Mello, issued a strong warning. His statement exposes the risks of a historic setback for the entire region. Therefore, your voice rises not only in defense of international law, but against the return of an imperialism that we considered to be outdated.

Celso de Mello classified the possible operation in a direct and severe manner. For him, Maduro’s kidnapping constitutes an essentially criminal act. This action would directly violate the legal norms that govern the international community. Furthermore, it would constitute a direct blow against the sovereignty and dignity of the Latin American peoples. The jurist emphasizes that the use of armed force to impose political decisions in sovereign territories is unacceptable in the 21st century. Thus, the measure symbolizes a dangerous return to practices from a dark era.

The fundamental principle under attack

The former dean of the STF goes beyond legal criticism. He remembers that the self-determination of peoples is a concrete historical achievement. Latin American nations paid with blood and sacrifice for this right. Any attempt to impose leaders or regimes from abroad, therefore, attacks this collective heritage. Mello warns that unilateral US action would declare the death of international law. Consequently, no country in the southern hemisphere would feel safe. If one nation can be subjugated by the interests of others, all others run the same risk.

Celso de Mello identifies a worrying pattern behind the threat. He notes the attempt to revive anachronistic imperialist doctrines, such as the Monroe Doctrine, now under the label of a “Trump Corollary”. This logic treats Latin America again as a backyard of the United States. In this view, Washington’s interests override local laws and rights. The jurist vehemently rejects this premise. The region is neither a protectorate nor a national security area of ​​any foreign power. His warning serves as a powerful reminder: the Latin American peoples fought hard for their independence and will not accept new forms of domination.

When law gives way to force

The jurist also highlights the disregard for existing legal instruments. The modern world already has robust channels for dealing with accusations between countries, such as extradition treaties. Ignoring these mechanisms represents a deliberate break with the rule of law. Celso de Mello is categorical: no political convenience authorizes replacing international agreements with kidnapping. Normalizing this practice would set a dangerous precedent. He would establish that laws only apply to the weakest, while powers can act above them. This culture of impunity for state crimes erodes the foundations of a just global order.

Celso de Mello’s conclusion is a call for resistance and unity. He condemns the “imperial arrogance” that promotes policies of exclusion and hostility. This model, which replaces consensus with force, cannot prevail in the region. Latin America, with its history and diversity, has the right and the ability to build its own future. The firm defense of sovereignty, therefore, transcends partisan ideologies. It becomes a common duty of all peoples who reject the shadow of the “great club”. The jurist’s voice thus echoes as a reminder: subordination is not an option, and the fight for self-determination remains more vital than ever.

Read also: The risks of a new imperialist era in the Americas