A protest took place in Cape Town, South Africa, condemning the recent US military intervention in Venezuela. Demonstrators demanded the immediate release of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The US military action on January 3, which involved taking the Venezuelan president and his wife to New York, has sparked global criticism and worry.
Protesters gathered on Adderley Street in Cape Town’s city center, displaying placards with messages like “Wipe out US imperialism” and “US out of Venezuela.” They vocally supported Venezuela with chants of “Free Venezuela!” and “Free Maduro!” and urged bystanders to back an upcoming International Day of Action against US Imperialism on February 6.
The South African BDS Coalition, a network of Palestine solidarity groups, organized the protest. They called for a united front to demand the immediate release of Maduro and Flores and to resist what they termed as US imperial aggression. Michael Titus, a retired pharmacist who participated in the rally, criticized the US actions as illegal and emblematic of American imperialism on a global scale.
Faariq Theba, a university student and event organizer, condemned the US intervention in Venezuela as a violation of international law. He expressed concerns that such actions could target other nations, including South Africa, emphasizing the need for solidarity among countries, especially in the Global South, to counter such interventions.
