The African Union expressed “grave concern” at the capture of Venezuela’s president by the US, a move that raised fears over the measures it may take in disputes with the continent’s biggest economies.
South Africa — which is embroiled in a protracted dispute with the US over Pretoria’s Black empowerment laws, among other issues — went further, calling Washington’s move a violation of the UN Charter. “Unlawful, unilateral force of this nature undermines the stability of the international order,” it said in a statement on Saturday, calling for an emergency UN Security Council session.
Washington’s move in Venezuela, the country with the world’s largest known oil reserves, raises questions about the extent to which the Trump administration is prepared to intervene overseas. The US mounted a strike on Islamic State-linked insurgents in northern Nigeria in December and last year intensified its air campaign in Somalia, while slapping hefty tariffs on South Africa.