UPDATE African groups condemn US meddling in Venezuela

By Hassan Isilow and Andrew Wasike

JOHANNESBURG / NAIROBI (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.

Benedict Wachira, head of the Communist Party of Kenya (CPK) established in 1992, condemned the United States intervention in Venezuela, terming it as wrong and undiplomatic.

”The Communist Party of Kenya (CPK) condemns in the strongest terms the recent attempts by the diabolic United States of America(USA) Government led by Donald Trump to ‘appoint’ a president for Venezuela,” he said.

He added that ”the whole world, not just the progressive citizens of the world must stand up against such violation of international law.”

The CPK called on the Kenyan government to condemn the move by Trump's government.

“The actions of the USA in Venezuela are a direct threat to peace and democracy in Africa”.

Other social movements in Kenya that have condemned the move include the Young Socialists league, Vijana Wajiweza and the Haile Selassie Foundation.

Tom Amani from the Young Socialists League told Anadolu Agency that,” we are Kenyans, we are democratic, we do not support what Trump is supporting because nothing about it is democratic, shame on him, as Kenya we stand with the people of Venezuela.”