African groups condemn US meddling in Venezuela

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESSBURG (AA) - South African groups condemned the U.S. on Thursday for recognizing a Venezuelan opposition leader as "interim president."

The South African Communist Party (SACP) described the move recognizing Juan Guaido as leader of Venezuela as an assault on the Latin American country's sovereignty.

"The South African Communist Party strongly condemns imperial interference in the state of Venezuela particularly by the imperialist state of the U.S. led by Donald Trump's administration," spokesman Alex Mashilo told Anadolu Agency in an interview.

He said the SACP -- a partner in South Africa’s ruling coalition -- strongly condemned any attempts aimed at regime change in Venezuela and pledged support to its people and government who he added must be "accorded democratic sovereignty."

"As South Africans we identify with the democratic processes that have resulted in the free and fair election of President [Nicolas] Maduro," said Muhammed Desai, international relations secretary of the Yong Communist League (YCL).

He underlined that Washington must refrain from interfering in the will of the Venezuelan people, asserting that the U.S. and its companies are only interested in exploiting the country’s oil and other resources.

"We lend our solidarity to the people of Venezuela and will start planning emergency protests here in South Africa in support of Nicolas Maduro and Venezuela’s United Socialist Party who were democratically elected by the majority of the Venezuelan people," he said in an interview.

Separately, Johannesburg-based advocacy group Media Review Network said it condemns U.S. President Donald Trump's destructive policies in Venezuela.

"The American-backed coup is an assault on Venezuela's sovereignty," group executive Iqbal Jassat told Anadolu Agency, adding that the recognition of Guaido was contemptible and must be denounced.

"Such interference is reflective of the utter disregard Trump and his rightwing neocon thugs have for international conventions," he said.

He said the Media Review Network deplores the usurpation of Venezuela's popular will and called on the UN to urgently intervene to prevent the coup from succeeding.

South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) is expected to issue a statement later Thursday.