Shaima Hassan Ali
The African Union issued a statement on the events in Venezuela, expressing its concern about the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro and attacks on military installations. He affirmed the Union's firm commitment to the basic principles of international law, including respect for the sovereignty of states, their territorial integrity, and the right of peoples to self-determination, as stipulated in the Charter of the United Nations.
He stressed that the complex internal challenges facing Venezuela cannot be addressed in a sustainable manner, except through comprehensive political dialogue among Venezuelans themselves. The statement then concluded by calling on the parties concerned to exercise restraint, responsibility, and respect for international law.
This statement comes in light of the deteriorating political and economic conditions of the countries of the continent, and the international scramble for its resources, and after the announcement of the American National Security Strategy, and the establishment of Trump’s foreign policy principle of “peace by strength.”
Trump's “Peace by Strength” doctrine and Venezuela
The world was surprised by the American military operation, which took place under the supervision of the Ministry of War, with the participation of the Navy, Air Force, and Delta Forces, coordination with law enforcement forces, and a special hostage rescue team. Through the use of strategic bombers and 150 aircraft of various types, the American forces were able to strike military sites and strategic installations and neutralize the air defenses. The Delta Forces and the hostage rescue team, with the participation of intelligence, were able to locate President Maduro, arrest him and his wife, and transport him via an American ship to the United States. United States, to try him and his wife on terrorism charges linked to drug trafficking. Are the US administration's motives really to confront drug-related terrorism? Or are there other motives?
In fact, any observer of the events can know well the real realities that Trump himself did not hide, which is the hegemony and control over the natural resources that Venezuela possesses, which Washington will not be able to access as long as Maduro remains in power. In fact, Venezuela is considered to have the largest proven oil reserves in the world (larger than Saudi Arabia and Canada) estimated at approximately 300 billion barrels, and possesses natural gas reserves estimated at 200 trillion barrels, in addition to gold wealth estimated at more than 7,000 tons, and a large reserve of high-purity iron, as well as diamond deposits, nickel, and the largest reserves of bauxite, coal, and wood such as rice, ebony, dense forests in the Amazon region, and enormous water wealth, which could provide it with enormous capabilities to produce clean energy.
On the other hand, the location of Venuela is considered strategic, and President Maduro’s alliances with Russia and China stand in the way of the American ambition to control the wealth and its backyard, which the American National Security Strategy considered one of its most important areas of influence, and it must prevent any hostile influence, which made Trump apply his “principle” in foreign policy “peace by force,” that is, achieving peace using force. Here we cannot talk about soft power that Joseph Nye has always called for. “Trump” and his decisions in American policy indicate that hard force is the basis of this principle. What indicates this is changing the name of the US Department of Defense, to the “Department of War”, then the American behavior in threatening the opponent and following a policy of brinkmanship, and giving an opportunity to reach a deal that is definitely in the interest of the American party, after which American military force is used. In fact, “Trump” implemented this policy in Iran, with the resistance movement, and with the Houthis in Yemen, and even applied it with Zelensky himself to force him to accept a peace agreement and make concessions to end the war in Ukraine.
Second: The African Union and its policy of expressing concern
It is not surprising that the African Union was quick to condemn what happened, as it is the same as the bodies, organizations and countries that condemned the American policy of encroachment on sovereign countries, and even the arrest of its president, in a scene that brings to mind the American role in implementing military coups led by American intelligence, whether in Latin America or even in the Middle East. Of course, the Latin American continent shares with the countries of the African continent and together they form the “powers of the global South,” this South that suffered from Western colonialism, whether British, Portuguese, British and French, and of course The situation is that there is a lot that unites the peoples of the two continents, not the least of which is the ball of old and new colonialism, the infringement on national sovereignty, and the continuous depletion of the continent’s resources, which has made the latter suffer from crises of state-building and common national identity. That is, Africa is suffering because of colonial policies from the same crises that occurred in the last century. Add to that the continuous plundering of wealth that was evident in Trump’s policy towards the countries of the continent. The latter was not satisfied with calling Africans “scum” during his presidency. The first, but the lack of appreciation and lack of respect was evident in his reception of a number of African presidents in his office in the White House. In any case, what unites the peoples of the two continents is great, which is what Trump and his brutal capitalist mentality do not realize. In any case, the Union's statement tried to express its concern about the events, which it rejected in its entirety and considered contradictory to the principles of international law and international legitimacy.
Third: The specificity of the African situation and Trump’s policies
في الواقع، لا يمكن الجزم بما يمكن أن يطوق به عقل الرئيس الأمريكي “ترامب” ، فالأخير قد هدد جنوب افريقيا واتهمها بمزاعم قتل المسيحيين البيض ، كما هدد نيجيريا من قبل ، وهددها بالتدخل إذا لم تضع حدأ لما وصفه “المذابح ضد المسيحيين” ، بل أن الأخير سمح بتنفيذ عملية عسكرية ، واستهداف لبعض المواقع التي زعم انها تخص إرهابيين يقتلون المسيحيين وهي المزاعم التي تم دحضها من قبل في مقال سابق، كما أن “ترامب” أقدم على ايقاب الوكالة الامريكية للتنمية الدولية وهي الجهة المنوط بها تقديم المساعدات في مختلف المجالات للدول الافريقية، والتي اعتمدت عليها “واشنطن” للاستثمار في علاقاتها مع الدول الأفريقية، خاصة في مجال مكافحة الإرهاب وتقديم الدعم للقطاع الأمني والعسكري، وهو ما فتح المجال أمام الدول الافريقية، للتوجه الروسي والصيني المتزايد، لكن يبدو ان واشنطن تريد أن تقول للأفارقة ” اما معي او ضدي” وبدون مساعدات ، ولكن بالاستثمار ومعروف ان الاستثمارات الغربية وحتى المساعدات قد ساعدت على افقار القارة وليس لمصلحتها، وهذا لا يعني ان البديل الروسي والصيني لا يستغل القارة لكن على الأقل تكلفة الانخراط فيه ليس مرتفعة، وعلى أي حال، ما حرك الاتحاد الافريقي، هو التخوف من مواقف “ترامب” تجاه دوله وفي ظل موجة التكالب الدولي على القارة ومواردها ، فمن الممكن أن يتكرر نفس السيناريو ، كما أن الدول الافريقية ، تعاني من ظاهرة الانتقال غير الدستوري، والانقلابات العسكرية التي انتشرت في الغرب الافريقي بشكل كبير ، ولما لا ، وما يؤكد ذلك هو نشوة المحللين والإعلاميين الأمريكيين بما يحدث وتصويره بانه يمثل “نموذج الردع” لأي قوى تسعى لمقاومة النفوذ الأمريكي، أو تتقرب من الصين وروسيا بشكل يضر بمصالح “واشنطن”.
Fourth: “Trump” and harassment of African countries
After the American strike on northwest Nigeria, CNN hosted Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Togar. The anchor asked, “Are you prepared for the presence of American forces on the ground, if this is in fact what the commander-in-chief expects?” "Togar" responded by saying: "These are operational issues that our army must take into consideration. I am responsible for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy, and this is a matter that falls within the jurisdiction of the Minister of Defense and some of our security agencies. They will be in a better position to deal with it." It seems that the question embarrassed the Nigerian minister, and he contented himself with getting out of this impasse by saying, "I am the Minister of Foreign Affairs, not the Minister of Defense." Another example of American harassment of African countries, which is South Africa, the country that moved to sue. “Israel” because of the genocidal war on Gaza, which was not spared from “Trump” and his accusations. Indeed, the matter reached the point of the “Trump” administration threatening the International Criminal Court, and threatening everyone who defends the Palestinian cause. In any case, the American behavior is not considered new, as it is what the major powers in the world are accustomed to, and under a chaotic regime, we are faced with a world governed by the law of the jungle.
Finally, in line with the approach of the African Union, African countries hastened to issue statements through their Ministry of Foreign Affairs to condemn what happened in Venezuela, and they aligned themselves with the position of the African Union. In any case, Trump’s policy is not new, but rather an extension of the American policy that has returned to changing regimes that are resistant or hostile to them, whether through military coups or military intervention, especially in areas that they consider to be areas of pure influence and dominance that will not allow the presence of powers other than them. The question remains for the difference: is it possible to Is it her turn?
