President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has expressed Namibia’s unwavering support for peace and dialogue after holding crucial talks with Venezuelan Ambassador Malagay Henríquez at State House yesterday. 

The meeting was dominated by growing fears of United States alleged military escalation near Venezuela’s borders.

The Venezuelan envoy revealed that thousands of American troops and warships have been deployed close to the country’s shores in the Caribbean Sea under what she called a false pretext of fighting drug trafficking. 

She warned that the move poses a serious threat not only to Venezuela’s sovereignty but also to the peace and stability of the entire Latin American and Caribbean region.

President Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed Namibia’s firm stance against sanctions and military interference, stressing that lasting peace can only be achieved through dialogue, respect for sovereignty and international solidarity.

During the meeting, the ambassador delivered a personal letter from president Nicolás Maduro, detailing what she described as a “grave situation” in her country.  The Namibian President reaffirmed her government’s long-standing position of supporting dialogue and condemning sanctions against nations such as Venezuela, Cuba and Zimbabwe.

She called for peace and stability through diplomatic engagement.

“We need peace and stability in the world,” President Nandi-Ndaitwah said, emphasising that Namibia’s foreign policy remains rooted in solidarity, non-interference and peaceful coexistence.

The ambassador’s remarks after the meeting painted a more urgent and dramatic picture of what she called an imminent military threat to her country. 

Speaking to the media outside State House, Henríquez said more than 4 000 US troops, eight military vessels and one nuclear submarine had been deployed in the Caribbean, close to Venezuela’s territorial waters.

“This is done under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking, but the most recent United Nations report shows Venezuela is a territory free from drugs,” she said. 

She said 61% of drugs in the region come from Colombia, while smaller amounts are produced in Bolivia and Peru, leaving just 5% of narcotics that could possibly transit through the Caribbean. 

She argued that most drug trafficking routes run through the Pacific Ocean, not the Caribbean, questioning Washington’s motives for positioning its military so close to Venezuela.

“This discredits the US justification. It is not about drugs – it is about regime change and access to our natural resources,” she said.

The ambassador stressed that Venezuela possesses the world’s largest proven oil reserves, which she believes makes the country a constant target of external pressure and destabilisation efforts.

She added that president Maduro has repeatedly called for dialogue with US leaders, but those overtures have been rejected. 

As a result, she said, ordinary Venezuelans, including students, doctors and teachers, have joined forces with the military to defend their sovereignty in case of invasion.

“We are a country of peace. We do not want war, but we will not hand over our nation,” she said.

Despite fears of military escalation, the ambassador insisted that Latin America and the Caribbean remain committed to peace. 

She said nearly all regional governments have spoken against any external intervention, reaffirming the declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a ‘Zone of Peace’.

“If they affect Venezuela, they affect the entire region,” she warned.

During the meeting, President Nandi-Ndaitwah commended the Venezuelan government for maintaining diplomatic engagement amid tension, reiterating Namibia’s opposition to unilateral sanctions. 

She assured the ambassador that Namibia continues to stand for peace, dialogue and respect for sovereignty.

The Venezuelan envoy, who has served in Namibia for a year, expressed appreciation for the hospitality and friendship between the two nations. 

They added that relations remain strong through cooperation in the energy sector and other areas of development.

As tensions rise near Venezuela’s shores, the ambassador’s appeal for global solidarity and a peaceful resolution resonated strongly with Namibia’s stance on non-interference.

This set the tone for renewed diplomatic engagement between the two countries.