A senior Labour MP has issued a stark warning that Prime Minister Keir Starmer must explicitly condemn Donald Trump's capture of Venezuela's president, arguing that failure to uphold international law could lead to global 'anarchy'.
Thornberry's stark warning on international law
Dame Emily Thornberry, who chairs the influential Foreign Affairs Select Committee, stated that the UK government cannot afford to 'look away and say nothing' following the dramatic events of Saturday, 3 January 2026. On that day, American commandos captured Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, with the former US president accusing Maduro of being a 'narco-terrorist'.
Dame Emily, while critical of Maduro's regime, emphasised the fundamental breach of established global rules. 'There are rules and you just can't go around snatching leaders from different countries, taking them back to your domestic courts and trying them. It will just end in anarchy,' she told Times Radio.
Government's cautious response draws criticism
The Labour MP's comments contrast with the more measured response from the UK government. When questioned, Home Office minister Mike Tapp stated it was for the United States to 'lay out the legal basis for this operation'. He refused to be drawn on whether the UK would condemn a hypothetical US invasion of Greenland, a topic of recent speculation.
Mr Tapp did not express discomfort with the US action, highlighting Maduro's record. 'He was a dictator who tortured prisoners, used sexual violence, intimidated dissidents,' the minister said, adding that the British government 'shed no tears whatsoever' over his removal.
A dangerous precedent for global stability
Dame Emily Thornberry articulated deep concerns about the precedent set by the US operation. She warned it could empower other major powers to act unilaterally within their own spheres of influence.
'It sets a really bad precedent for countries such as China and Russia, who may also think, well, we've got spheres of influence. Why can't we do things like that within our sphere of influence like Ukraine or Taiwan?' she argued. She stressed that maintaining the alliance with America was crucial, particularly regarding Ukraine, but insisted that support for international law was meaningless if not applied consistently.
The senior Labour figure concluded with a direct call to action for the Prime Minister, stating the UK must 'be clearer that this has been a breach of international law and we do not agree that they should have done it'. The situation leaves significant uncertainty over Venezuela's future and the integrity of the post-war international order.
