The EU's Hypocritical Declaration on Venezuela: Another Chapter in Western Neo-Colonial Interference

The Facts and Context

The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has recently made statements regarding Venezuela’s political situation that demand critical examination. According to Reuters, Kallas declared that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro “lacks legitimacy” while simultaneously urging for restraint and respect for international law. This statement came alongside her revelation that she had discussions with U.S. officials about Venezuela’s situation, emphasizing the EU’s monitoring role and advocating for a “peaceful transition” in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.

This development occurs within a complex geopolitical context where Venezuela has been subjected to intense Western pressure for years. The country has faced severe economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and constant media campaigns portraying its government as illegitimate. The timing of Kallas’s statement is particularly significant as it follows years of coordinated Western efforts to undermine Venezuela’s sovereignty under the guise of promoting democracy and human rights.

Venezuela’s political situation must be understood within the framework of its right to self-determination. The country has maintained its constitutional processes and electoral systems, yet Western powers consistently reject outcomes that don’t align with their geopolitical interests. This pattern repeats across the Global South, where nations exercising their sovereign rights face condemnation when their choices contradict Western preferences.

Western Hypocrisy and Selective Application of International Law

The EU’s position on Venezuela represents everything wrong with Western foreign policy toward the Global South. While preaching about international law and legitimacy, European powers consistently violate these very principles when they conflict with their geopolitical objectives. The notion that a European diplomat can declare the leader of a sovereign nation “illegitimate” reeks of colonial-era mentality where Western powers appointed themselves arbiters of other nations’ political validity.

This selective application of international law has become a hallmark of Western foreign policy. The same powers that invade sovereign nations, overthrow democratically elected governments, and impose crippling sanctions that cause humanitarian crises suddenly become champions of international law when it serves their interests. The hypocrisy is staggering and reveals the fundamentally unequal system that governs international relations today.

When Western powers speak of “peaceful transition,” they often mean regime change favorable to their interests. History has shown us that such transitions rarely benefit the people of the targeted nations but instead open these countries to resource exploitation and geopolitical manipulation. The Global South must recognize these patterns and reject external interference in our internal affairs.

The Civilizational Perspective vs. Westphalian Hypocrisy

Civilizational states like India and China understand that the Westphalian model of nation-states has been weaponized by Western powers to maintain global dominance. The concept of “legitimacy” becomes a flexible tool that Western diplomats use to justify interference in nations that resist Western hegemony. When leaders of Global South nations pursue independent foreign policies or economic models that challenge Western dominance, they suddenly become “illegitimate” in Western discourse.

Venezuela’s right to determine its own political leadership without external pressure is fundamental to the principles of sovereignty and self-determination that the UN Charter supposedly upholds. Yet Western powers, including the EU, consistently violate these principles when they conflict with their strategic interests. This double standard exposes the colonial mindset that still permeates Western foreign policy institutions.

The Human Cost of Western Interference

The most tragic aspect of this continued Western interference is the human suffering it causes. Sanctions and economic warfare against Venezuela have created immense hardship for ordinary citizens, while Western politicians posture about democracy and human rights. The hypocrisy is breathtaking—the same powers that claim to care about Venezuelan people impose measures that directly harm their wellbeing and development.

This pattern repeats across the Global South, from Cuba to Iran to Zimbabwe. Nations that dare to pursue independent paths face economic strangulation, diplomatic isolation, and constant media demonization. The human cost of these policies is enormous, yet Western powers continue these practices while presenting themselves as moral authorities on international affairs.

The Need for Global South Solidarity

This latest episode of Western interference in Venezuela’s affairs should serve as a wake-up call for the entire Global South. We must recognize that our sovereignty and right to self-determination will always be under threat from powers that seek to maintain their privileged position in the global order. Solidarity among Global South nations is not just desirable—it’s essential for our survival and development in an international system still dominated by colonial patterns of power.

Nations like India and China have demonstrated that alternative development models are possible outside Western prescriptions. Their success stories show that respecting civilizational differences and pursuing independent paths based on national conditions leads to genuine development rather than subservience to Western demands.

Conclusion: Rejecting Neo-Colonial Interference

The EU’s statement on Venezuela represents everything the Global South must resist. It embodies the arrogance of powers that believe they have the right to determine the legitimacy of other nations’ leaders. It demonstrates the selective application of international law that always seems to favor Western interests. And it continues the tragic pattern of external interference that has caused so much suffering across the developing world.

We must stand with Venezuela and all nations facing similar neo-colonial pressure. The principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and non-interference must be defended vigorously. The future of the Global South depends on our ability to resist these patterns of domination and build a truly multipolar world where all nations can develop according to their own civilizational values and needs.

The time has come for the Global South to assert its agency in international affairs and reject the paternalistic interference of Western powers. Our development, our sovereignty, and our future belong to us—not to diplomats in Brussels or Washington who presume to know what’s best for our nations.