ANC wants coalition partners to respect official stance on US invasion of Venezuela

The African National Congress (ANC) says it is important for coalition partners to respect South Africa’s official stance on the United States’ invasion of Venezuela.

The call comes as parties in the Government of National Unity (GNU) hold differing views on the situation.

On Saturday, the U.S. military launched an operation in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a raid in the capital, Caracas.

The South African government has condemned the action, describing it as a violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and a blatant disregard for international law.

The ANC announced its rejection of the invasion on the sidelines of its 114th anniversary celebrations in Rustenburg, in the northwest, on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticised the ANC’s stance, accusing the party of hypocrisy for condemning the Trump administration’s military action.

The party says it is inconsistent for its coalition partner, the ANC, to oppose the U.S. invasion of Venezuela while it allegedly failed to do the same when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Another GNU member, the Freedom Front Plus, has welcomed the U.S. intervention, saying the removal of President Nicolás Maduro is a victory for the Venezuelan people.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has stressed that these views do not represent the position of the South African government.

“We do have reactionary forces within the GNU, and we are not party to them. The GNU is not a melting pot. Corne Mulder (Freedom Front Plus leader), and what he expresses is not the view that is shared by the progressive forces in South Africa.

The ANC has called for the immediate release of the Venezuelan president.