South African President Cyril Ramaphosa made global waves this week by publicly condemning a controversial US military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the forced removal of leader Nicolás Maduro. Speaking at a memorial event flanked by Venezuelan flags 🇻🇪, Ramaphosa called the action "alarmingly aggressive" and demanded UN intervention.
"We stand with Venezuela's people," declared Ramaphosa, drawing cheers from supporters but sparking 🔥 immediate backlash within his coalition government. The Democratic Alliance (DA) accused the ANC of "selective outrage" for not condemning Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion, while the Freedom-Front Plus called Maduro's removal "the end of a socialist experiment gone wrong."
The controversy comes as US-South Africa relations face multiple stress tests this year – from trade disputes to differing positions on Israel's Gaza policies. Analysts warn escalating tensions could impact South Africa's economy, with some fearing retaliatory tariffs 🚫💸.
Youth activists have flooded social media with #HandsOffVenezuela posts, while foreign policy experts debate whether this marks a new era of South-South solidarity 🤝 or political brinkmanship. One thing's clear: Ramaphosa's bold stance is reshaping both domestic politics and global alliances in 2026.
