The president of the United States, Donald Trumphe starred on Wednesday, May 21, a tense meeting with his counterpart South African, Cyril Ramaphosain the White Houseduring which he projected a video to denounce an assumption “genocide”Against the AFRIKÁNER Blanca minority, an accusation that Ramaphosa He categorically rejected.
The meeting in the Oval Office It was the most conflictive since the visit, in February, of the Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenskiwho then abandoned the White House After a heated discussion with Trump in front of the cameras.
The central theme of the meeting was the alleged racial persecution complaints in South Africapromoted by the administration of Trump. Although his government has drastically trimmed the reception programs, he recently granted refugee status to several Afrikáner families (White South Africans descending from Dutch settlers).
Trump opened the meeting by qualifying Ramaphosa as someone “very respected in many circles, although controversial for some”, while the president South African He offered a handshake and proposed to “restart” bilateral relations.
Shock between presidents
The tension exploded when the press asked about the recent arrival of refugees Afrikáners. Trump He insisted on his theory that this minority suffers a persecution and demanded explanations to his interlocutor.
“In general, they are white farmers fleeing South Africaand it is very sad to see it. I hope we can have an explanation, ”he said to the media.
Ramaphosa He responded firmly that there is no “Afrikáner genocide“And urged Trump To listen to the people South African To disassemble that narrative.
“If there really was a genocide Against Afrikaners farmers, I assure you that these people would not be here, including my own Minister of Agriculture, ”he said, pointing to his delegation, which included members of that community.
Trump insisted that there are “thousands of stories” that confirm the persecution and ordered the projection of a video of almost five minutes that showed African politicians giving speeches in favor of violence against whites and images of mounds and crosses that, according to TrumpThey represent more than 1,000 killed farmers.
“I would like to know where that is, because I have not seen it,” said the president South African After observing, uncomfortable, the images.
Ramaphosa He stressed that, although crime is a problem in South Africamost victims of violence “are not white, but black,” and recalled that, although the Constitution protects the “inviolability of land ownership”, its government also has the right to expropriate land for public use.
“They are executing them, and it turns out that they are white, and most farmers. It is a difficult situation. I don’t know how to explain,” he insisted Trump.
At a time of discussion, Ramaphosa He jokes that he does not have “a plane to give him”, in reference To the gift that Catar made to Trump and? USA He formally accepted on Wednesday.
The tension only began to dissipate after the intervention of the emblematic golfists Afrikáners Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, who were part of the delegation South African. Both, admired by Trumpthey avoided supporting the complaints of genocide.
The G20 in South Africa
The arrival, last week, of a first group of 49 Afrikáners to USA As refugees it was the last episode in a series of diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
In March, Trump suspended all help and external cooperation with South Africaclaiming that the country confisca lands to white farmers and maintains a hostile posture towards Israel In the International Court of Justice, where Pretoria has denounced a genocide In Gaza.
The Law on Exproof South Africa It was promulgated at the beginning of the year to try to reverse racial inequalities inherited from Apartheid and allows to expropriate land without paying compensation in public interest cases.
Also in March he was expelled from USA The then ambassador South African in WashingtonEbrahim Rasool, designated as a non -pleasant person for his criticism against Trump.
While Washington Consider that there is discrimination against Afrikáners, Trump He has reiterated that USA will not participate in any event of the G20which this year welcomes South Africa.
After this Wednesday’s clash with Ramaphosahe questioned his attendance at the summit of Presidents of the G20 that will be held in JohannesburgNovember 22 and 23.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C1VHrkigv0
“I think, without USA(La Summit) is really not very important because it is no longer the same meeting, ”he said.