Diplomacy: US government: South Africa’s ambassador no longer welcome

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared the South African ambassador to be an unwanted person. “The ambassador of South Africa in the United States is no longer welcome in our great country,” Rubio wrote on the X. that was discussed with him and Ebrahim Rasool declared a so -called persona non grata.

With an explanation of the “persona non grata”, a state can end the activity of a diplomat or a diplomat in his territory. As a rule, this means that this person has to leave the country within a certain period.

Rubio also shared a link from the right online medium “Breitbart”, in which statements from Rasool were discussed. In a video workshop of a South African thought factory, the diplomat had argued, among other things, that US President Donald Trump, together with forces such as tech billionaire Elon Musk and Vice President JD Vance, strengthen nationalist forces not only in the United States, but also worldwide. In this context, he also called the alternative for Germany (AfD).

Rasool referred to the demographic change in the USA and explained that the shrinking of the white majority society had to be taken into account as a context for certain political developments. He described how the narrative of an endangered white identity is used to mobilize political support – regardless of whether this threat is real or not.

Rubio accuses the diplomat hatred of America

Rubio accused Rasool based on these statements to ignite with a racism narrative and to fuel tensions in a targeted manner. He stated, the diplomat Hasse America and Trump.

Relations between the United States and South Africa have been at a low point since Trump took office. Trump is particularly bothered by a law adopted in South Africa, which allows land to exprude land in the public interest in order to compensate for injustice during the racist apartheid era (1948-1994). At that time, land was systematically distributed by ethnic point of view, especially to white South Africans.

The law provides for compensation payments for landowners. Exercise may only take place if previous employment negotiations have been unsuccessful. Because of the law, Trump had already frozen aid for South Africa in early February. He wants to recognize affected South African farmers as refugees.