South Africa has condemned the United States’ military intervention in Venezuela and called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council following Washington’s confirmation that it carried out a “large-scale military strike” and captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement issued on January 3, 2026, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, through Minister Naledi Pandor, said the action violated the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of sovereign states.
Pretoria warned that the removal of a sitting head of state through military means risks plunging Venezuela and the wider region into deeper instability. The government said unilateral interventions undermine the international system and weaken the principle of sovereign equality, stressing that even controversial governments must be addressed through lawful international mechanisms.
South Africa’s position is shaped by recent African diplomatic experience. In November 2025, tensions rose after the United States threatened possible military action against Nigeria over alleged violence against Christians. That situation was later resolved through back-channel diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation rather than force, a development African leaders cited as evidence that disputes with major powers can be managed without military escalation.
The Venezuela operation marks a departure from that approach. Instead of multilateral engagement or prolonged negotiations, Washington proceeded with a direct military strike and the detention of a sitting president, without authorisation from the UN Security Council or involvement of regional bodies.
The United States has defended its action by citing alleged criminal charges against Maduro, including drug trafficking, corruption and links to organised crime, arguing that his arrest was necessary to safeguard international security.
Critics, including South Africa, argue that such claims do not override international law and that accountability must be pursued through judicial processes and multilateral institutions rather than unilateral use of force.
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