UK Lawmaker Warns of Risks from US Intervention in Venezuela

(MENAFN) The chair of the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee cautioned Monday that the absence of strong Western criticism of the US military intervention in Venezuela could embolden China and Russia to pursue similar actions elsewhere.

Emily Thornberry argued that the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by American forces, followed by his transfer to the United States, threatened to undermine international law and establish a troubling precedent.

Her comments came after US military operations led to the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. President Donald Trump later declared that Washington would maintain control over Venezuela for the time being, including through the possible deployment of US troops.

Speaking to a Radio, Thornberry warned that the lack of a unified and clear response from Western nations risked weakening global norms.

“There is no legal basis for this,” she said. “And 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?’"

So far, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his frontbench colleagues have refrained from condemning the US action.

On Monday, Starmer told reporters that it is “for the US to justify the action that it has taken.” He added: “It is not straightforward. It is complicated.”

Thornberry concluded that even verbal criticism from allies could serve as a deterrent against such actions.

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