Credit:  twitter.com/StateDept  /   U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan meets Angola  President  João Lourenço  in Luanda Mar. 18, 2019. 

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The United States was upset with South Africa for voting against its UN Security Council Resolution in February that called for fresh elections in Venezuela and recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó  as the Latin American nation’s president. The US draft resolution was able to garner the minimum nine votes, which then forced Russia and China to cast vetoes. South Africa also voted against the US draft; Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Indonesia abstained. But it was the  surprise vote of South Africa that apparently has gotten under the skin of the United States. After the vote,  U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs Tibor Nagy called on South Africa to remember its own history of suffering, and suggested that the country that produced the legendary freedom fighter Nelson Mandela should have been more sympathetic to the plight of the Venezuelan people under President Nicolás Maduro.

“…Venezuela was especially disappointing; the only disappointing thing from a bilateral point of view or a U.S. policy point of view is-it was very disappointing to me – was South Africa was one of the three countries that voted against our resolution. (South Africa Was the) Only African country to vote against  our resolution. ” 

Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs Nagy 

U.S. Diplomatic Duo Sullivan and NagyTour Africa to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

Assistant Secretary of State for  Bureau of African Affairs Nagy

Number two man in U.S. State Department,  John Sullivan

Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan Concludes S. Africa and Angola Tour

Deputy Secretary Sullivan met w/ Foreign Minister Augusto in Luanda & welcomed #Angola’s role in promoting regional security. Deputy Sullivan also raised concerns about the crisis in #Venezuela & urged Angola to join over 50 countries in recognizing Interim President @JGuaido. pic.twitter.com/gdXWwzmdh3

— Department of State (@StateDept) March 18, 2019

Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan traveled to South Africa and Angola on a tour that began last Tuesday and concludes today that is focusing  on promoting U.S. trade and investment, as well as advancing peace and security, including the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. While in Angola, Secretary Sullivan raised concerns about the crisis in Venezuela and urged Angola to join the U.S. and some 50 other nations backing opposition leader Guaidó.   However, it should be noted that there are nearly 200 member states in the United Nations General Assembly, the majority support Venezuela President Maduro. 

Assistant Sec. of State Bureau of African Affairs Nagy In Crucial Cameroon Visit 

credit: twitter.com/PR_Paul_BIYA / Tibor Nagy, the Assistant Secretary for U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of African, meets with Cameroon President Paul Biya  in Yaoundé,  Mar. 18, 2018

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs Nagy concludes his four-country tour this week of Africa that included visits to Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Africa, and Cameroon.