MK Party makes about-turn on Donald Trump support, condemning ‘act of war’ on Venezuela
Venezuelans living in Panama celebrate with Venezuelan national flags and a mask depicting US President Donald Trump, in Panama City on January 3, 2026, after US forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Picture: Martin Bernetti/AFP
Image: Martin Bernetti/AFP
Quick to jump on the bandwagon to keep their name in the news, the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has condemned the United States President Donald Trump's seizure of Venezuela’s leftist leader Nicolás Maduro, which is a complete about-turn on their stance less than a year ago.
On January 22, 2025, released a statement after Trump’s appointment as the 47th President of the United States entitled: The MK Party Welcomes President Donald J. Trump’s Inauguration with Hope for Global Justice and Sovereignty.
In that statement, the MK Party said it viewed Trump’s presidency as “a beacon of hope for dismantling systems of exploitation and oppression that were perpetuated under previous administrations. His administration’s vision signals a transformative shift toward addressing long-standing global injustices.”
The MK Party ended that statement with the conclusion: “We are optimistic that President Trump’s administration will usher in a new era of equitable global governance.”
MK Party Condemns US Military Assault on Venezuela, Urges Global Action
Flash forward to Saturday, and the MK seems to have forgotten its earlier support of Trump as the party has made a complete about-turn with its political stance. The party characterised these actions as an illegal act of war and a serious violation of international law, the UN Charter, and Venezuelan sovereignty.
“The MK Party unequivocally and resolutely condemns the United States military assault on the sovereign Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, including coordinated aerial and ground strikes on Venezuelan military and government infrastructure, the violent seizure of strategic installations in Caracas, and the reported abduction and forced removal of President Nicolás Maduro from Venezuelan territory.”
It goes on to say the operation points to “the reckless endangerment of civilian life.”
The MK Party also called for an immediate halt to military operations, an urgent UN Security Council investigation, and for South Africa, the African Union, BRICS partners, and global progressive forces to condemn the intervention and defend national sovereignty and self-determination.