The recent Venezuela-United States (US) events offer important lessons for youth in the Global South on governance, sovereignty, and the consequences of institutional failure, the Students Union of Namibia (SUN) has said.
Its legal secretary, Intelligent Katire, in an interview with Nampa on the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife by the US military on Saturday, stressed that democracy and sovereignty must be exercised responsibly. “Democracy cannot be imposed from outside, just as sovereignty cannot be used to excuse mismanagement,” Katire said.
He said the unfolding crisis demonstrates how national instability often arises when weak governance collides with external pressure, when natural resources are treated as political shortcuts, and when leadership prioritises personalities over strong institutions.
Millions of Venezuelan youths were forced to flee their country not because they lacked courage, but because the systems meant to protect and empower them collapsed.
He emphasised that young people should reject narratives that justify poor governance under the banner of nationalism, as well as foreign intervention disguised as democratic support, saying that both approaches weaken institutions and ultimately deny young people stability and opportunity.
Katire warned against what he described as two dangerous extremes confronting developing nations. “We reject misrule in the name of sovereignty and foreign intervention in the name of democracy,” he said, adding that sustainable development depends on accountable leadership and functional institutions.
He urged young leaders across the Global South to demand a shift in political culture.
“We must prioritise institutions over personalities, accountability over loyalty, and economic diversification over dependency,” Katire said, noting that that overreliance on narrow resource bases leaves economies fragile and exposes youth to recurring crises.
On youth empowerment, Katire stressed that employment must be treated as a national priority rather than a political slogan and should be central to national development strategies, not an afterthought.
“Meaningful participation in the economy is key to social and political stability,” he said.
Katire, however, expressed confidence in youth-led change, saying:
“The future of the Global South will not be decided by ideology or external pressure but will be secured by disciplined leadership and conscious youth politics. This is our responsibility, and this is our opportunity.”
-Nampa
