Keir Starmer Does Not Condemn Trump’s Venezuela Takeover

Keir Starmer has refused to describe Donald Trump’s takeover of Venezuela as a breach of international law.

The US president captured Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro after the American military conducted a strike against the country on Saturday.

Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have been indicted on narco-terrorism conspiracy charges.

Trump has pledged to run the South American nation until a safe transition of power can take place, and promised that the States is going to be “very much involved” in Venezuela’s oil industry in the meantime.

The UK prime minister, formerly the director of public prosecutions, said he needed the “full picture” before assessing what had happened in Venezuela.

When asked by BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg if he would condemn the US action against a sovereign state, Starmer replied: “I want to get all the material facts together, and we simply haven’t got the full picture at the moment.

“It’s fast-moving, and we need to piece that together.

“I can be really clear with you that there was no UK involvement in this operation, and obviously we’re working in relation to British citizens and nationals who are there with our Embassy.”

He continued: “I then need to speak to President Trump, I need to speak to our allies. But I don’t shy away from this, I’ve been a lifelong advocate of international law and the importance of compliance with international law.

“But I want to ensure that I’ve got all the facts at my disposal, and we haven’t got that at the moment, and we need to get that before we come to a decision about the consequences in relation to the actions that have been taken.”

Presenter Kuenssberg again pointed out that Venezuela is a sovereign state and that other UK political leaders – including Trump supporter Nigel Farage – think it’s probably against international law.

Starmer replied: “We’re the government, we take this very seriously, I want to establish all the facts.

“That’s what we’re doing, working within our own teams, working with our US counterparts, and of course I’ll want to discuss this with our allies.”

Kuenssberg said Trump is causing the kind of “global turmoil” Starmer has long been concerned about.

The prime minister replied: “I do think that we’re in a more volatile world than we have been for many, many years, and I’m really struck by the fact that what is happening internationally has much more of a direct impact on the UK than at any time than most of us can remember.

“And there are various reasons for that, there are conflicts around the world, there’s climate issues going on, they’re all impacting back on the UK, and that’s why whenever I’m abroad on international work, I’m thinking about what’s the impact back on the UK.”

Asked if Starmer’s “big political friend” is making everything worse, he replied: “The relationship between the US and the UK is one of the closest relationships in the world.

“It is vitally important for our defence, for our security, for our intelligence.

“It is my responsibility to make sure that relationship works as the prime minister of this country working with the president of the United States. And not only have I stepped up to that responsibility, I have made it my business, and I do get on with president Trump.”

In a separate statement, the PM said: “The UK has long supported a transition of power in Venezuela. We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and we shed no tears about the end of his regime.

“I reiterated my support for international law this morning.

“The UK government will discuss the evolving situation with US counterparts in the days ahead as we seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people.”