International Legitimation of Authoritarianism: Venezuela's United Nations General Assembly Discourse and Domestic Power Consolidation (1999–2023)

ABSTRACT This article examines how the Venezuelan government defended the gradual transformation of the country's political system from democracy to authoritarianism in an international forum. Building on the concept of international legitimation strategies, we qualitatively analyse Venezuelan government speeches at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) between 1999 and 2023. We identify four phases of legitimation: popular democratic mandate, revolutionary transformation, sovereignty and international law and imperial victimhood. In the broader historical context, these shifts illustrate how the Venezuelan government adapted its international discourse as its authoritarian practises deepened, deploying UNGA diplomacy to deflect criticism.