The UK has called for a speedy and peaceful transition of power in Venezuela following the US capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, said Britain was ‘not entirely clear’ what US President Donald Trump meant by saying the US would ‘run’ the country.
Speaking to Sky News, Jones emphasised that the UK is not in favour of colonialism and declined to judge the US action until it is determined whether international law was breached. He said the priority should be moving towards a transition that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people, adding that ‘it’s for the Americans now and for Venezuela to set out what happens in the coming days.’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also refrained from immediate condemnation, stating he wants to speak directly with Trump and obtain all the facts before making a judgment. Starmer, a lifelong advocate of international law, faces pressure from opposition parties to take a firmer stance.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticised Starmer’s hesitation, warning it could encourage further US aggression against sovereign states. He called for a united front with European allies, including Denmark, after a provocative social media post about Greenland. Human rights lawyer Philippe Sands KC described the US action as ‘manifestly illegal under international law’.
However, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice defended Trump, arguing the capture was in accordance with US domestic law and self-defence. He rejected comparisons to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying ‘there is no comparison whatsoever’.
