JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 6 — A former South African envoy on Monday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s actions toward Venezuela as “unacceptable,” saying they amount to bullying and place the U.S. on the wrong side of international law.
“This kind of military aggression is not acceptable in principle as a way of conducting international relations,” said Welile Nhlapo, former South African ambassador to the United States, in an interview with Independent Online, a local news platform.
Nhlapo said the actions violated the United Nations Charter, particularly the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and also breached U.S. domestic law.
“Only Congress can authorize military action against a foreign sovereign state.
Congress was not notified and did not give permission,” he said. According to Nhlapo, Washington justified its actions by citing drug trafficking and law enforcement concerns, but such claims lacked credibility.
“In reality, it is an invasion of a sovereign state by a foreign country and the abduction of a sitting, democratically elected president.
This kind of bullying and flagrant violation of international norms is totally unacceptable,” he added. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
