South Africa has urged the United Nations Security Council to convene urgently following what it described as a unilateral United States military strike in Venezuela, a move that has sharply escalated international tensions and raised fresh questions about the use of force in global affairs.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the South African government said it viewed the reported operation, which the United States says led to the capture of Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, as a serious breach of international law. Pretoria warned that such actions risk undermining the foundations of the global order at a time of growing instability.
Read also: Venezuelans welcome US strike as operation details are revealed – Trump
“The government of the Republic of South Africa notes with grave concern the recent developments confirmed by the United States of America,” the statement said, adding that military force used without multilateral approval violates the United Nations Charter.
South Africa argued that the charter clearly requires all member states to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. It said the document does not permit external military intervention in matters that fall within the domestic jurisdiction of a sovereign nation.
Read also: World leaders divided after US attack on Venezuela and capture of Maduro, wife
Crispin Phiri, South Africa ministry spokesperson, said the consequences of such actions were well documented. “History has repeatedly shown that military invasions against sovereign states produce instability and deepen crises rather than resolve them,” he said, calling the reported strike “unlawful and dangerous for international peace”.
Pretoria is now pressing the Security Council, which holds primary responsibility for maintaining global peace and security, to take up the matter without delay and provide a forum for collective action rather than unilateral force.
