By What Venezuela Teaches Africa About Power
The Chessboard of Sovereignty: What Venezuela Teaches Africa About Power
Geopolitics is rarely about morality; it is almost always about strategy. Today, as we watch international pressure mount against Venezuela, we are witnessing a masterclass in how global influence is maintained. While the rhetoric often centers on “democracy” and “human rights,” history suggests a much colder reality. For African nations, rich in the very minerals and oil that global powers crave; the situation in South America is not a distant drama; it is a vital warning.
The Language of Influence
Power rarely introduces itself as “domination.” Instead, it arrives wearing the mask of stability, security, or democratic intervention. This is a long-standing tradition where a handful of powerful nations decide which governments are “legitimate” and which are “disposable.”
The playbook is remarkably consistent:
• Economic Sanctions: Aimed at crippling the local economy to incite internal unrest.
• Recognition Battles: Deciding who the “true” leader is from an office thousands of miles away.
• Resource Alignment: Leaders who align with Western interests are branded as “strategic partners,” while those who resist are labeled as “threats to global security.”
From Latin America to the African Continent
Venezuela is not an isolated case; it is part of a pattern that has echoed across the Global South for decades. During the Cold War, Latin America was the primary chessboard. Today, Africa is increasingly the center of these power games.
The logic is simple: follow the resources. Whether it is oil in the Orinoco Belt or cobalt and lithium in the Congo, the desire for control often outweighs the respect for national sovereignty. When global powers intervene, they are rarely defending the freedom of the local people; they are securing the supply chains of the future.
Why Africa Must Pay Attention
African leaders and citizens must look past the headlines and analyze the mechanics of these interventions. The same pressure being applied to an oil-rich nation today can be applied to a mineral-rich African nation tomorrow. If a government chooses to nationalize its resources or pivot its trade away from traditional Western allies, the “democracy” narrative is quickly deployed as a tool for regime change.
This is not to say that every targeted government is perfect or innocent. Rather, it is an acknowledgment that the “moral high ground” claimed by intervening powers is often a tactical position.
The Uncomfortable Question
We must ask ourselves: When global powers speak about “defending democracy” abroad, are they truly protecting the vote of the citizen, or are they protecting their own influence? History shows that when sovereignty and strategic interests collide, sovereignty is usually the first thing to be sacrificed. For Africa, the lesson is clear: true independence is not given; it must be protected from those who offer “help” while eyeing the wealth beneath the soil.
