Savage Imperialist
By Karabo Marifi
Johannesburg, South Africa –
The early days of 2026 have been overshadowed by a bold and controversial U.S. military operation in Venezuela, drawing sharp condemnation from South Africa’s National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA).
In a strongly worded statement on January 3, 2026, NUMSA unreservedly condemned the Trump administration’s undemocratic, dictatorial, and unilateral attack on the
Democratic Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and the criminal capture and arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.
For working-class South Africans who have long fought against imperialism and colonialism, NUMSA’s words feel like a rallying cry against what they see as a repeat of history’s injustices.
The union described Donald Trump as a savage, a ruthless bully and a champion of colonialism and imperialism, accusing him of being a purveyor of the most backward racism, a pathetic patriarch, and an unapologetic misogynist.
This harsh critique comes amid reports of U.S. airstrikes on Venezuelan military sites in Caracas, La Guaira, Miranda State, and Aragua, causing explosions, blackouts, and chaos that left families in fear for their lives.
NUMSA noted with profound concern that elements of Venezuela’s opposition, including María Corina Machado, have expressed support for Trump’s aggression against their own country, endorsing the illegal seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and the threat of military blockades.
As ordinary Venezuelans grapple with the immediate fallout – from power outages straining hospitals to street fighting in the capital –
NUMSA’s call for global progressive forces to condemn the assault resonates with those who remember South Africa’s own struggles against external domination.
In a world where resource-rich nations often face such pressures, this event reminds South Africans of the importance of solidarity, especially as rising oil prices from the crisis could hit our economy hard with higher fuel costs for families already stretched thin.
NUMSA’s demands – including calling on Americans to “deal with Donald Trump” and urging BRICS to confront the aggression – highlight fears that unchecked imperialism could make the world unsafe for humanity.
As 2026 unfolds, this crisis tests global alliances and the resolve of nations to stand against what NUMSA calls a hopeless, dying system of imperialism with absolutely no humanity, only undiluted cruelty and violent greed.
NUMSA’s statement not only condemns the U.S. actions but also draws parallels to other global conflicts, calling for an end to wars in Ukraine, Palestine, Yemen, Asia, the Congo, and Sudan.
As diplomatic responses pour in from around the world, the union’s voice adds to the chorus demanding respect for international law and sovereignty.
The U.S. Operation: Airstrikes and Maduro’s Reported Capture
The crisis erupted in the pre-dawn hours of January 3, 2026, with residents in Caracas reporting at least seven powerful explosions that shook buildings and caused widespread blackouts.
Low-flying aircraft were heard overhead, adding to the panic as people rushed to check on loved ones.
Smoke rose from key military sites like Fort Tiuna, a major base in the capital, and La Carlota airport, suggesting the strikes were precise and aimed at weakening Maduro’s defences.
Similar blasts were reported in nearby states like Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, spreading fear beyond the capital.
Witnesses described scenes of confusion, with sirens blaring and emergency services struggling to respond amid power outages.
While no immediate civilian deaths were confirmed, the attacks disrupted daily life, leaving hospitals on generators and homes in darkness.
For families already facing economic shortages, this added a layer of terror, with many fearing more strikes could follow.
This hybrid operation – airstrikes with possible ground elements – avoided a full invasion but risked escalation. U.S. officials tied it to long-standing accusations against Maduro for drug trafficking and allowing criminal gangs to thrive, claims Venezuela rejects as pretexts for regime change.
Trump announced the news on social media, claiming U.S. forces had captured Maduro and his wife during the “large-scale strike.”
He shared a photo of Maduro aboard the USS Iwo Jima, a Navy assault ship, as proof. Maduro denied the capture in an address, calling it “fake news” and declaring a national emergency to mobilise defences.
NUMSA’s Scathing Critique: Naming Trump a ‘Savage Imperialist’
NUMSA pulled no punches in labelling Trump a creature of U.S. capitalism and imperialism.
They called upon all Americans of goodwill and the American working class to sort out Donald Trump before he makes the whole world unsafe for humanity. The union made no apology for naming what they see: Trump is a savage, a ruthless bully and a champion of colonialism and imperialism.
He is a purveyor of the most backward racism, a pathetic patriarch, and an unapologetic misogynist.
Together with his partner in genocide, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, these war mongers’ hands drip with the blood of innocents. They are racist white supremacists of the twenty-first century.
They represent the powerhouses of a hopeless, dying system of imperialism with absolutely no humanity, only undiluted cruelty and violent greed.
This rhetoric reflects NUMSA’s anti-imperialist stance, rooted in South Africa’s struggle history.
They view the attack as naked resource imperialism, with Trump’s advisers openly claiming the United States “created the oil industry in Venezuela” and that nationalisation constituted “theft” from America.
NUMSA sees the same logic in conflicts like Israel’s actions in Palestine, where they accuse Trump and Netanyahu of seeking to dominate and extract resources through violence.
Venezuelan Opposition’s Role: NUMSA Accuses Treason
NUMSA expressed profound concern over elements of Venezuela’s opposition, including María Corina Machado, expressing support for Trump’s aggression.
They called this capture, plain and simple, accusing sections of the opposition of becoming instruments of U.S. imperialism.
History teaches us that those who invite foreign powers to intervene against their own people become tools of neo-colonial subjugation, the union warned.
They called upon all genuine patriots in Venezuela to reject this treasonous alignment.
The sovereignty of Venezuela belongs to the Venezuelan people, not to Washington, and not to those who would sell their nation’s independence for imperial favour.
This critique highlights NUMSA’s view that internal divisions are being exploited by external forces, a pattern seen in other Global South nations.
NUMSA’s Demands: Calls for Global Action Against Trump
NUMSA outlined clear demands in their statement. First, Trump must be stopped in his tracks. To this end, we call upon all Americans of goodwill and the American working class to sort out Donald Trump.
Trump is a product of American capitalism and imperialism. Americans are best placed to deal with this evil before it consumes the whole world in untold violence and human suffering.
Second, BRICS must convene on an urgent basis and take decisive action to confront Trump’s aggression through all available means, including diplomatic, economic, and political means, and this must also include the legitimate defence of Venezuela’s sovereignty against the illegal blockade.
Third, all progressive countries must do what it takes to end the wars devastating our world including:
The NATO war against Russia which is presented as the Russia-Ukraine war; Israel’s genocide against Palestine; The war in Yemen; The wars in Asia; The war in the Congo; And the war in Sudan.
NUMSA wants the world to know that we reject with the contempt it deserves, this opportunistic imperialist attack. Trump has no mandate from the people of the United States or Venezuela to wage this aggression.
Trump’s imperialist aggression must be stopped by all people of the world, including progressive forces within the United States itself.
There is only one force in the world today which can deal with all the “Trumps” of this world in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the US itself:
the world working class, organised behind a revolutionary programme to uproot and destroy the soil in which the Trumps of this world are born and grown, which is capitalism and imperialism.
The world is today faced with the stark choice: capitalist barbarism or socialism!
“Workers of the world, unite! We have nothing to lose but our chains!”
Hands off Venezuela!
Global Reactions: Widespread Condemnation and Fears of Escalation
Leaders worldwide have condemned the strikes. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called it crossing “an unacceptable line,” urging a regional summit.
Colombia’s Gustavo Petro slammed “bombing Caracas,” while Mexico echoed calls for restraint, fearing refugee waves.
Russia vowed support for Maduro, while China labelled it aggression.
The UN warned of humanitarian fallout. Oil prices jumped 5 percent, impacting global markets.
South Africa called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting, viewing it as a threat to peace.
Economic and Humanitarian Costs: Immediate Strains
Venezuela’s economy faces hits from damaged sites, worsening shortages. Blackouts strain hospitals, risking lives.
Over 7 million fled since 2014, more possible if fighting grows.
Globally, oil up 5 percent impacts importers like SA with pricier fuel.
Path Forward: De-Escalation or Wider War?
As fallout grows, mediation calls rise. Lula’s summit could help. The UN urges restraint.
For Trump, this tests policy, risking war. Maduro’s defiance suggests resistance, drawing allies.
For 2026, this could define relations, with hopes for dialogue. Venezuelans pray for peace, but uncertainty looms.
In a connected world, this affects all – calling for wisdom over force.
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