Sovereignty in deep crisis

In Venezuela, international sanctions, while framed as tools to defend democracy, have similarly deepened economic pain, blurring the line between moral pressure and collective punishment

- Okunade Samuel and Kolade Olubiyo

In foreign hands: A photo released by the DEA shows captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro wearing a hoodie made by a Maine-based apparel company after his arrival in New York under US custody. Photo: DEA

(DEA)

The principle of sovereignty has long stood as the bedrock of the international system.

Enshrined in international law and defended by global and regional institutions, it affirms the right of states to govern their affairs free from external interference.

Yet recent developments across regions of the Global South suggest that sovereignty is no longer challenged solely by foreign armies or colonial ambitions but also by popular despair, economic collapse and the failure of postcolonial governance.

The growing tension between legal sovereignty and lived survival is vividly illustrated by foreign incursions in Latin America and military takeovers in Francophone Africa.

In Latin America, Venezuela presents a troubling example of how sovereignty can be challenged through indirect and unconventional means.

In recent years, the Venezuelan state has faced intense external pressure in the form of sanctions, covert operations and alleged attempts at regime change, including a foiled incursion reportedly aimed at capturing President Nicolás Maduro.

While such actions clearly contravene international law, particularly the prohibition on intervention in the internal affairs of sovereign states, they also expose a deeper crisis.

Venezuela's prolonged economic collapse, hyperinflation and institutional decay have left millions impoverished, disillusioned and struggling to survive. In this context, the state's formal sovereignty appears intact on paper, yet hollow in practice.

On the African continent, particularly in Francophone West and Central Africa, sovereignty is being challenged from within.