“Strategic Prepositioning”: SA Political Commentator Pieter Kriel Enters the US Venezuela Chat

• South African political commentator Pieter Kriel shared his thoughts on why the US overthrew Venezuela's government
• The human rights activist explained that the timing isn't random, linking it to China's plans
• Social media users praised Kriel's analysis, with many saying he's always on point

A South African political commentator and human rights activist, known for sharing political content on his Facebook page, Pieter Kriel, posted a video on 4 January 2026 giving his take on the US military action in Venezuela. Pieter Kriel captioned his post:

"The US wants to cut off Venezuelan oil to China."

In the video, Kriel asked whether the situation is a conspiracy or geopolitical positioning, saying that overthrowing the Venezuelan government by the US is not random and its timing is definitely no coincidence. He explained that just days earlier, China reaffirmed its plans to take Taiwan by 2027. The commentator pointed out that modern wars aren't just about troops or missiles, but about positioning and preparation before conflicts actually happen.

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Kriel said that since 2022, the US strategy has increasingly focused on shaping the battlefield before conflict happens by weakening rivals, disrupting supply chains, and controlling strategic resources. He explained that Venezuela matters because it holds the world's largest oil reserves and has been China's largest oil exporter for years. If China wants to launch a serious military operation in the next one to two years, a secure oil supply is important.

From Washington's point of view, the political commentator said, removing a Beijing-aligned government from Venezuela weakens China's energy security, repositions the United States as the main player in their hemisphere, and allows the US to elect a president that is very generous to American interests. He called it an intervention and strategic pre-positioning, adding:

"This is what a 21st-century empire looks like. Rearranging the board before the war even starts."

SA supports to Kriel's analysis

Netizens flooded the comment section with their reactions to Facebook user @realpieterkriel's political commentary on the US-Venezuela situation:

@Starn Shwing said:

"This young man is always on point 👌"

@Joas Shilako warned:

"That will be the start of the real WORLD war 3, I think."

@Millennium Expressions added:

"They are within their right. They built that oil industry."

@Kagiso Motshelanoka gushed:

"Where do you get so much information cause you always make sense?"

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What happened in Venezuela?

According to a report by the BBC, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States is not at war with Venezuela, just a day after US forces carried out strikes in the country. He also confirmed that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken into US custody and flown to New York to face drug and weapons charges. They appeared in court on Monday.

Venezuela’s Defence Minister, Vladimir Padrino, said the operation killed many members of Maduro’s security team as well as civilians. He strongly criticised the US action, calling it military aggression. The Venezuelan army has since declared its support for interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

Watch the Facebook video below:

More on US actions in Latin America

• Briefly News recently reported on Donald Trump issuing chilling warnings to Colombia, Mexico and Cuba.
• South Africa raised an alarm over the USA military actions at a UN Security Council meeting.
• A South African man went viral for asking US President Donald Trump to capture President Cyril Ramaphosa after the Maduro abduction.

Source: Briefly News