SA is concerned about the rising tensions between the US and Venezuela which it considers an ally and friend, minister of international relations and co-operation Ronald Lamola has said.
SA’s solidarity with Venezuela will put it at odds with the US once again, which has refused to participate in the G20 summit being hosted by SA.
SA’s opposition to Israel’s war of “genocide” in Gaza and US president Donald Trump’s opposition to what he says are “bad things” happening in SA — claiming people are being killed — have contributed to the strained relations between the two countries.
The Trump administration has been building up its military presence in the Caribbean and has considered potential strikes inside Venezuela. The US has made 21 known strikes on boats in the region that it said were trafficking drugs, killing 83 people.
Trump recently placed the US’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the Caribbean Sea, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has Venezuela’s military on high alert.
The New York Times reported that Trump and his top aides had focused on removing Maduro — who Trump describes as the head of a drug-trafficking terrorist organisation — from office and talked about military action inside the country. It said the US now had 15,000 troops in the region.
Lamola said in a written reply to a parliamentary question by EFF MP Carl Niehaus that the developments represented “a clear threat to the peace, stability and security of the Latin America and Caribbean region”.
High-level engagements between the SA and Venezuelan foreign ministries had taken place.
SA, Lamola said, had “reaffirmed the bonds of solidarity and friendship between the two countries and reiterated commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflict, respect for international law and the inalienable sovereignty of states.
“SA further called for the exhaustion of all diplomatic channels in pursuit of regional peace, stability and security. This is mindful that the Latin America and Caribbean region has been declared a nuclear-free weapons zone and a zone of peace by the Community of Latin American States (CELAC).”
At their October conference, the ministers of foreign affairs of the Non-Aligned Movement issued a special declaration on the threats against Venezuela, affirming their commitment to the sovereignty of states, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal and external affairs of states and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
The ministers expressed solidarity with the people and government of Venezuela to defend themselves against any external act of aggression.
Lamola said SA and Venezuela enjoyed “warm and cordial relations that are anchored by bonds of solidarity and friendship.
“The political principals and the two foreign ministries communicate frequently via diplomatic channels where briefings and information sharing are conducted, also as members of the Global South.”
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