Protesters in South Africa condemn US intervention in Venezuela, call for Maduro’s release

PRETORIA (AP) — Dozens of people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in the South African capital Thursday to protest the U.S. intervention in Venezuela and the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro.

The protests were led by members of the South African Communist Party, an ally of the African National Congress, which has denounced U.S President Donald Trump’s actions and called for Maduro’s immediate release.

The demonstrators gathered outside the U.S Embassy in Pretoria with placards condemning Trump’s administration and alleged U.S. intentions to take over Venezuela’s oil reserves.

Some of the placards read “Hands Off Venezuela”, “Free President Maduro Now” and “End American Imperialism.”

“They want to take this resource (oil reserves) directly under their control, and Donald Trump has not hidden it to the world. He has pronounced it with his own mouth,” the party’s secretary general Solly Mapaila told protesters.

Some pro-Palestine protesters also joined the demonstration to pledge their solidarity and condemn the actions of the U.S. in Venezuela.

Sarah Mukwevho, one of the protesters, said the U.S actions in Venezuela showed that similar events could happen in other countries.

“Today it is Venezuela and Maduro, tomorrow it can be any other smaller country that the U.S. is not happy with. There are international platforms for the U.S to raise its grievances instead of the actions we have seen in Venezuela,” said Mukwevho.

The protests follow the South African government’s condemnation of Maduro’s capture and calls for the United Nations to intervene.

South Africa has had tense relations with the U.S. in recent times, with diplomatic rows over Trump’s accusations that South Africa was allowing a “white genocide” against the minority white Afrikaner community in the country.

“It is our commitment to international law and the United Nations charter that informs our deep concern at the actions of the United States in Venezuela, which has undermined the territorial integrity and sovereignty of a UN member state called Venezuela,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said this week.

“We reject utterly the actions that the United States and stand with the people of Venezuela and we demand the release of President Majuro and his wife as well,” he added.