Sir Keir Starmer has backed the transition of power in Venezuela saying the UK “shed no tears” about the end of Nicolas Maduro’s regime.
Donald Trump has said America will “run” the country until a “safe” transfer of government, after his shock announcement the US had captured the country’s president.
In a statement on Sunday evening, Sir Keir 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.”
He added: “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.”
In an interview recorded earlier on Saturday the Prime Minister refused to say whether Donald Trump has broken international law.
He told BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, he said: “We need to establish the full picture. 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.”
Pressed on the fact that the US has admitted capturing the leader of a sovereign state, he again insisted he wanted to “establish all the facts”.
This is a developing story, more follows…
