SACP to protest outside US embassy over arrest of Venezuelan president

The SACP has announced a protest march outside the the US embassy in Pretoria on Thursday to voice its outrage against the recent “unlawful detention” of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

According to SACP Secretary General, Solly Mapaiila, this protest is intended to show solidarity with Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, both of whom are embroiled in serious legal challenges in the United States, including charges of narco-terrorism, drugs, and weapons offences.

The couple was arrested in the wake of a high-profile raid by elite US Delta Force troops in Caracas, which saw the couple detained amid accusations that have sparked international debates around sovereignty and interventionism.

In response to these allegations, the SACP has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the Venezuelan leader, stressing the importance of standing against what they perceive as imperialist actions from the US.

Mapaila, speaking on Tuesday at an event commemorating the 31st anniversary of the death of Joe Slovo, a prominent figure in South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle said: “We are organising a march to the US embassy on Thursday. All the alliance components, everyone in South Africa is invited. The US should never know peace in our country when they destabilise other countries.”

Mapaila’s announcement came just minutes after ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke out against Maduro’s incarceration at the same event.

This widespread condemnation has also been shared by world leaders, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who has declared the US detention illegal and a clear undermining of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Venezuela.

“We call for the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife…We utterly reject the actions embarked upon by the United States, and we stand with the people of Venezuela. It is our commitment to international law and the United Nations Charter that informs our deep concern about the action of the United States in Venezuela. We believe this has undermined the territorial integrity and sovereignty of a UN member state called Venezuela,” Ramaphosa said.

ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula, on Tuesday in Rustenburg, where the ANC is preparing for its 114th anniversary celebrations, described Maduro’s capture as violating international law and other regulations.

“The ANC condemns the recent acts of aggression directed at the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which constitute a serious violation of international law, national sovereignty, and the principles governing relations between states. The kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife undermines the United Nations’ Charter and threatens global stability at a time when the world requires cooperation,” Mbalula told the media gathered in Rustenburg.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za