Donald Trump doubled down on his threat to take Greenland from Denmark and also threatened Colombia and others despite facing criticism for the brazen attack on Venezuela. Even as the nations of the world reacted to the audacious 3 January US military strike on Venezuela, President Donald Trump was looking beyond that country to new horizons, doubling down on his ambition to annex Greenland and threatening to attack Colombia and perhaps even Mexico if they did not curb alleged drug trafficking to the US. He also threatened a second invasion of Venezuela if its interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, did not comply with US requirements.
Countries of the Global South have generally been sharply critical of the US, calling the attack “state terrorism”, “aggression”, “hegemonic behaviour” and “crossing an unacceptable line”. A strong US military force attacked Venezuela early on Saturday, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and transporting them to the US, where they appeared in a New York court on Monday, on several charges related to drug trafficking. South Africa and most of its partners in the BRICS-Plus forum condemned the attack on Venezuela, while a few said very little or nothing at all.
On Monday, South Africa’s acting deputy ambassador to the UN, Jonathan Passmoor, said the US action in Venezuela “wantonly violates the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Venezuela. Once again, the belief that might is right is reinforced, and diplomacy is undermined. “History has repeatedly demonstrated that military invasions against sovereign states yield only instability and deepen crisis,” he added, citing foreign interventions in Libya, Iraq and “countless cases in Africa”.
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“South Africa stresses that allegations of internal governance challenges, human rights concerns or acts of criminality by a head of state cannot justify a breach of the [UN] Charter’s prohibition on the use of force.” Passmoor said disputes should be resolved peacefully, including bringing a case before the International Court of Justice or seeking action from the UN Security Council. “If we do not stand up to the sovereign rights of any nations/states being undermined and wantonly violated, then which one of us are safe or are guaranteed protection by the principles of the Charter and international law?” he asked, calling for decisive action against such violations. The Indian foreign ministry issued a cautious statement that did not mention the US by name and merely added that “recent developments in Venezuela are a matter of deep concern…” calling on “all concerned” to address issues peacefully.
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