Adjudication cloud over West Bengal election candidatesThe ruling TMC has already announced the names of 291 candidates for the 294 assembly seats in the state. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:35 AM IST By Joydeep Thakur Share via Copy link Kalita Majhi, 38
Air India flies ‘wrong’ Boeing 777 jet to Vancouver, plane makes U-turn after 4 hoursAccording to Flightradar24, the flight turned back while flying over Chinese airspace after being airborne for roughly four hours. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:35 AM IST By HT Correspondent Share via Copy link
The probability of a US recession by the end of 2026 has surged to 36%, according to the prediction platform Polymarket, which tracks real-world events through crowd-sourced betting markets. Polymarket, the world’s largest prediction market, allows traders to buy and sell shares on real-world
I have been asked this, in one form or another, more times than I can count. Sometimes it arrives wrapped in curiosity – a raised eyebrow from a guest who has just noticed my accent, my name, the fact that I come from somewhere else entirely. Sometimes it arrives as a pointed observation
The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region due to escalations by Iran, Israel, US could send a ripple effect in the Indian property market. New Delhi: The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Gulf region due to escalations by Iran, Israel
US intervention in Venezuela was wrong – but now, a Japan-style rebuilding plan must unfold
The intervention by the United States in Venezuela violates the core of the United Nations' Charter on the use of force and the principle of non-intervention in the sovereign affairs of states.
There was no Security Council authorisation for the air strikes on Saturday and the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, no claim of self-defence and no recognised exception under international law.
Yet once such an unlawful act becomes a fait accompli – once power has already displaced authority – the international community faces a grim dilemma. A Japan-style reconstruction, carefully constrained and constitution-oriented, emerges not as a justification for the intervention but as the only alternative.
In 1945, the US made a decision that reshaped the post-war world. Instead of permanently subjugating a defeated Japan after World War II, it pursued reconstruction – demilitarising the state, redesigning institutions and rebuilding the economy.
That choice transformed a militaristic empire into a stable democracy and anchored a rules-based order across Asia. Invoking that precedent today, however, demands caution. Japan's reconstruction followed a declared war and unconditional surrender. Venezuela's predicament follows none of these. The analogy is therefore limited and must not be used to sanitise illegality.
The United Nations charter rests on a foundational bargain: peace is preserved by respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-intervention, except in cases of self-defence or collective action authorised by the Security Council.
Humanitarian suffering – however grave – does not by itself license unilateral military action. The doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect, endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005, was never meant to hollow out the charter.
This responsibility refers to the duty of the international community to act collectively through the United Nations “to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity” if the state has failed to do so.
There is no doubt that Venezuela has suffered catastrophic governance failure. Credible United Nations' fact-finding mechanisms have documented crimes against humanity, systemic repression and policies leading to mass deprivation. These findings are a moral indictment of the Venezuelan state, but they do not erase the legal limits on how external power may respond.
When Responsibility to Protect is detached from the UN authorisation, it risks becoming a clear violation of international law – precisely the abuse the doctrine was designed to prevent. From this standpoint, the US action in Venezuela cannot be defended as a lawful humanitarian intervention.
It weakens the very international order it claims to protect and sets a precedent that authoritarian powers can readily exploit.
Yet international law does not operate in a moral vacuum. Once an unlawful intervention has occurred, once a head of state has been captured, a government displaced, and effective control altered, the world confronts a bleak choice.
To insist on doctrinal purity while allowing societal collapse would be to punish the population twice: first through domestic tyranny and then through international indifference. This is the uncomfortable truth: while the intervention was illegal, abandonment would be unconscionable.
Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has signalled her willingness to work with the US, tempering her initial confrontational response after Maduro's abduction. This does not retroactively legitimise the intervention, but it alters the terrain of responsibility.
The question is no longer whether the US should have intervened (there is no doubt that it should not have) but how the damage can be contained and reversed. In this narrow, tragic sense, a Japan-style reconstruction emerges not as a validation of force but as a disciplining of it.
However, there is a crucial operational distinction. The US reconstruction of Japan – and later interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan – were accompanied by large-scale deployment of ground troops and prolonged military occupation. In Venezuela, at least for now, there is no declared occupation and no visible presence of US troops on the ground.
The US must learn from its gravest failures in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan. Regimes collapsed before institutions were built; elections were rushed before the rule of law took root; resource flows preceded accountability. The result was not democracy, but fragmentation, corruption and proxy warfare.
If Venezuela is not to follow that path, any externally driven reconstruction must be institution-first, time-bound, and under United Nations supervision. Courts, electoral authorities, fiscal systems and civilian control over security forces must precede political competition. Reconstruction must restore Venezuelan sovereignty, not replace it with tutelage.
This is where the Japanese analogy has limited but real relevance. Japan was rebuilt not through plunder, but through constitutionalism; not through permanent occupation, but through institutional redesign; not through extraction, but through reintegration into global markets under clear rules.
The lesson is not that intervention works but that unchecked power destroys, while constrained power can sometimes repair what it has broken.
Venezuela's tragedy is inseparable from oil. Resource rents hollowed out the social contract, financed patronage and militarised politics. The resource curse describes the paradox whereby countries rich in natural resources often experience weaker institutions, higher inequality, and greater authoritarianism than resource-poor states.
When governments can finance themselves without taxing citizens, accountability is eroded. Politics becomes a struggle over control of rents rather than a contest over public goods.
US President Donald Trump has vowed to tap Venezuela's oil reserves, inviting American firms to mobilise the country's vast but underutilised resources. This approach risks reproducing the very conditions that enabled authoritarianism.
Oil revenues should be constitutionally firewalled into a transparent, independently audited sovereign wealth fund, subject to parliamentary oversight and judicial review. Social stabilisation – food, health, education, and water – must come first; diversification and growth must follow. Without this sequencing, reconstruction will collapse back into the resource curse.
Reconstruction must also guard against the authoritarian axis – a converging ecosystem of authoritarian powers, notably Russia, China, and Iran, that expand influence by exploiting institutional weakness rather than exporting ideology.
Institutional vacuums invite opaque loans, security bargains, and disinformation. Ironically, the unilateral US action strengthens this axis by normalising power without law. The only durable counter is legitimacy: open institutions, accountable governance and reintegration into lawful global markets.
Rebuilding Venezuela today is not an option for the United States – it is damage control after a breach of international law. The task is to ensure that illegality does not metastasise into permanent domination or state collapse.
If reconstruction proceeds, it must do so under multilateral supervision, with a clear exit strategy and a single objective: the restoration of Venezuelan self-government. Anything less would convert an unlawful act into an imperial precedent.
In 1945, America's rebuilding of Japan helped reshape the world. In 2026, it intervened in Venezuela in defiance of the very order it once built.
Having crossed that line, the least bad option – the Hobson's choice – is to bind power with law, reconstruction with accountability, and intervention with humility. Whether such restraint is possible under Donald Trump remains the gravest uncertainty of all.
Faisal CK is deputy law Secretary to the government of Kerala. Views are personal.
Source: Scroll
Related Posts: Venezuela's President Maduro signs decree granting security powers in case of military intervention Judicial direction to reduce GST on air purifiers violates separation of powers Forcing women to continue pregnancy violates bodily integrity Congress top brass assures state unit of no intervention in stampede probe Families of pilgrims from UP's Ballia stranded in Iran seek Centre's intervention to ensure their safe return Kerala Nurse Escapes Gallows In Yemen After India’s Grand Mufti’s Intervention After Trump's intervention China says Japan ‘crossed red line’ with Taiwan military intervention remarks Mehbooba Mufti calls for JK CM intervention on FTAs Rupee shielded by central bank intervention even as pressure lingers
Love Horoscope Today for March 21, 2026: Today's cosmic shift's impact on your love lifeLove Horoscope Today, March 21, 2026: Find daily astrological predictions for all sun signs. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 6:11 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link Our astrologer, Neeraj Dhankher
8 hours ago
A Patiala-based photography and cinematography service has won hearts online with a beautifully crafted pre-wedding video that blends vintage storytelling with modern filmmaking. Shubhdeep Films, a Patiala-based photography and cinematography firm
8 hours ago
With energy prices still high due to the conflict in the Gulf, governments around the world are being urged to reduce driving speed limits and encourage more working from home. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has suggested ten measures to reduce the amount of energy being consumed across the
8 hours ago
Ronnie O'Sullivan has set a new record for the highest break in professional snooker history, achieving an astonishing 153 at the World Open in China. This remarkable feat surpasses the previous record of 148 and further solidifies O'Sullivan's status as a legendary figure in the sport
8 hours ago
TMC releases manifesto for West Bengal elections, promises to widen its social sector schemesOne of the 10 pledges of the manifesto focuses on empowerment of women, with the party promising to enhance financial assistance under the Lakshmir Bhandar Published on: Mar 21
8 hours ago
Think your iPhone is secure? This new iOS 18 hack may change thatA new iOS exploit can steal users' private information from their iPhones simply by users visiting an infected website on Safari web browser. Updated on: Mar 20, 2026 7:37 PM IST By Shweta Ganjoo Share via Copy link If you haven’t
8 hours ago
On social media a heartwarming video is making people smile for all the right reasons. Amid the viral trend of recreating a popular scene from Falguni Pathak’s Sawan Mein, one woman has stood out in the most unexpected and beautiful way. While many have been recreating the scene with props like
8 hours ago
Cristiano Ronaldo set to recover in time for FIFA World Cup as Portugal head coach gives major injury update Updated on: Mar 21, 2026 6:11 AM IST Written by Neelav Chakravarti Share via Copy link Cristiano Ronaldo is currently recovering from an injury
8 hours ago
A jury in the federal court in San Francisco has found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors during the period leading up to his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022. According to the jury, Musk deliberately pushed down the company’s stock price in the months before completing the deal
8 hours ago
Joshua Jefferson injury update: Iowa State star could play vs Kentucky, X-ray results revealed Updated on: Mar 21, 2026 4:31 AM IST By Yash Nitish Bajaj Share via Copy link Iowa State Cyclones forward Joshua Jefferson (5) shoots a layup against Tennessee State Tigers forwards Antoine Lorick III
8 hours ago
Tributes have been pouring in from around the world to US martial artist and Hollywood action star Chuck Norris, who died aged 86. "He may have a warrior exterior, but his heart was so full of love," his daughter Danilee Norris said. Swedish actor and martial artist Dolph Lundgren - who starred
8 hours ago
Monday's air strike on Kabul resulted in the highest number of casualties seen since hostilities began again in February. Within hours of explosions ringing across the capital, both sides were posting on social media - a war of words as people searched for answers
8 hours ago
Raymond Group Chairman Gautam Hari Singhania has been injured in a speedboat accident in the Maldives. He was among tourists when the boat capsized. Singhania has been rescued and is recovering in Mumbai. Search operations are underway for two other Indian men who are missing
8 hours ago
In 2022, as the number of Covid-19 cases began falling and travel opened up again, 30-year-old Irshit Ali’s life changed. There was a sudden surge of tourists in his hometown of Ladakh, where he worked ferrying tourists in his van. This was good for business.In 2022
8 hours ago
Another twist in Formula 1’s ever-shifting management landscape, and this one comes with immediate impact. Jonathan Wheatley has stepped down from his role with Audi with immediate effect, just a year after joining the project. And the timing? Hardly coincidental
8 hours ago
Two Congress leaders, B.S. Anoop and R.S. Arun Raj, joined the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram, expressing dissatisfaction with the Congress leadership. Both leaders, denied tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections, are expected to contest from Chirayinkeezhu and Chadayamangalam respectively
8 hours ago
Tarot Horoscope Today for March 21, 2026: Here's your tarot message based on your zodiac signThis article will dive into the daily tarot reading for each zodiac sign for March 21, 2026, with our expert's predictions. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:03 AM IST By Neeraj Dhankher Share via Copy link The
8 hours ago
Washington, Mar 21 (PTI) The United States has announced the temporary lifting of sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil stranded at sea in an effort to cool down soaring global crude prices. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the temporary measure will make available 140 million barrels of
8 hours ago
The Supreme Court has permitted the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to cut more than 45,000 mangroves. This is for the proposed Versova-Bhayandar coastal road project in north Mumbai. The project aims to significantly reduce travel time and distance
8 hours ago
Prakash Raj reacts to tweet talking about Allu Arjun, Vijay Deverakonda, Jr NTR, and Mahesh Babu praising Dhurandhar 2Prakash Raj also shared a video of the song Abhi Na Jaao Chhod Kar and wrote that he is very far from Dhurandhar 2. Check his posts here. Mar 21, 2026
8 hours ago
Techie earning $85,000 in Canada considers moving to India for ₹26 LPA FAANG job, internet reactsIn a Reddit post, the techie shared that though the Canadian salary looks good on paper, the reality is very different. Published on: Mar 21, 2026 7:45 AM IST By Trisha Sengupta Share via Copy link A
8 hours ago
Trent Alexander-Arnold's omission from Thomas Tuchel's largest England squad is the latest blow to his stop-start international career and casts huge doubt on his hopes of playing at the World Cup. Head coach Tuchel said on Friday he had "not yet" spoken to the 27-year-old about his exclusion
8 hours ago
Congress leadership has brought peace to Kerala's party affairs. K Sudhakaran will lead the campaign in Kannur. Adoor Prakash has withdrawn his assembly seat claim. The party is optimistic about the upcoming April 9 election. Rahul Gandhi expressed commitment to Kerala's future
8 hours ago
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi on Friday pushed back strongly against US President Donald Trump’s claim that Tehran was preparing to attack American forces, warning of a forceful response if Iran’s infrastructure is hit. “We are men and women of principles
8 hours ago
Fans are pouring into the historic heart of South Korea's capital for what may well be the year's biggest event: the return of the world's most successful band in recent years, BTS. Some 260,000 people are expected to turn up on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square, where the seven K-pop stars - RM, Jin
8 hours ago
Elon Musk was misleading in his public statements during a crucial period of his 2022 Twitter takeover, a jury has found. After two days of deliberations, a jury in San Francisco federal court decided in a unanimous verdict against the tech titan
8 hours ago
Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah instantly agreed to Kapoor & Sons, says film's director: After being rejected by actors…Shakun Batra was asked about taking creative risks with Kapoor & Sons. He said that at that time, honestly, he didn't care. Mar 21, 2026
8 hours ago
