The UK is “not entirely clear” what it means for the United States to be in charge of Venezuela, the chief secretary to the prime minister has said, urging a move towards a peaceful transition of power.
Darren Jones said the UK would wait to determine whether there had been a breach of international law after the US attacked the Venezuelan capital and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife on Saturday. US President Donald Trump told a press conference the US would run the country until it could do a “safe, proper and judicious transition”.
Asked if that was tantamount to colonialism, Jones said the UK was “not in favour of colonialism” and was not entirely clear what Trump meant. He said it was for the Americans and Venezuela to set out what happens next, but emphasised the need for a peaceful transition reflecting the will of the Venezuelan people.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer repeated assurances that the UK had no involvement and was not informed of the plan to strike Venezuela. He said he wanted to speak to Trump directly before making any judgment. The Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, criticised Starmer’s hesitancy, warning it would give Trump licence for hostile acts against other sovereign countries.
Human rights lawyer Philippe Sands KC said the action was “manifestly illegal under international law”, while Reform UK’s Richard Tice defended the move as in accordance with US domestic law and not comparable to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
