JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola on Monday criticized the recent military action by the United States against Venezuela, saying it violates the Charter of United Nations, international law as well as Venezuela's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Lamola made the remarks ahead of a UN Security Council meeting, noting that international solidarity and collective action have brought stability to the world.
"We cannot return to the period after the First World War, when there were no rules and no world order based on international law," Lamola said, stressing South Africa's commitment to a principle-based approach both domestically and internationally.
South Africa has called on the UN Security Council to urgently convene to address the situation in a statement issued last Saturday, stressing that the UN Charter does not authorize external military intervention in matters that fall essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of a sovereign state.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was brought to a Manhattan federal court on Monday to face "narco-terrorism" charges filed by the U.S. administration.
Earlier, U.S. military launched a series of attacks against Venezuela Saturday morning, during which Maduro was captured and flown out of the country along with his wife. ■
