ANC vows to defend Venezuelan sovereignty amid rising US tensions

The ANC has accused the US of imperialist aggression against Venezuela, declaring its intention to mobilise progressive forces locally and internationally in defence of Venezuelan sovereignty, as tensions between Washington and Pretoria continue to simmer.

ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, said the governing party viewed US pressure on Caracas as a direct assault on democracy and international law.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday on the sidelines of preparations for the party’s January 8 anniversary celebrations, Mbalula framed the dispute as part of a broader struggle against unilateral global power.

“Our understanding of what has happened to Venezuela can be summed up as nothing else but imperialist aggression,” Mbalula said, accusing the US of positioning itself as the world’s policeman.

He invoked the ANC’s Freedom Charter, which calls for peace and friendship among nations.

Mbalula said the ANC would work with “all progressive forces” to oppose what it sees as American interference, warning that such actions should never be normalised or tolerated by the international community.

The remarks follow long-running US sanctions and criminal indictments against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and senior officials, including allegations of narcotics trafficking and corruption.

Washington had offered multimillion-dollar rewards for information leading to arrests, but Maduro remained in power in Caracas, rejecting the charges as politically motivated.

The ANC called on peace-loving people in South Africa, across Africa and globally, including within the US, to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and an end to economic coercion.

Mbalula argued that sanctions and confrontation carried devastating humanitarian consequences and undermined human dignity.

He said the party remained committed to a multipolar, rules-based international order grounded in equality, sovereignty and solidarity between nations.

The statement comes amid a complex and often strained relationship between South Africa and the US.

While the two countries maintain deep trade ties and diplomatic engagement, relations have been tested in recent years by disagreements over global conflicts, South Africa’s non-aligned foreign policy posture and Washington’s scrutiny of Pretoria’s international partnerships.

kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za

IOL Politics