US military intervention in Venezuela is a clear violation of international law, according to the chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Dame Emily Thornberry. She is the most senior Labour MP to speak out against the strikes carried out by Donald Trump over the weekend, which led to the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. While the UK government has refrained from labeling the action illegal, Thornberry is among those who have criticized the US president's actions. She argues that the UK and its allies should collectively condemn such breaches of international law, emphasizing that 'we cannot have breaches of international law like this. We cannot have the law of the jungle.'
Thornberry's concerns are shared by other Labour MPs, as well as the leaders of the Lib Dems, Greens, and the SNP. The controversy lies in the potential precedent it sets, as Russian President Putin might claim Ukraine as his sphere of influence, and Chinese President Xi could do the same with Taiwan. This could lead to a dangerous situation where countries act without regard for international law, as Thornberry warns, 'People just can't do whatever they want. I mean, we really can't have a kind of international anarchy.'
The UK's stance is particularly interesting, as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has not condemned the US strikes, citing the need to establish all the facts before making a decision on their legality. Home Office Minister Mike Tapp went further, calling Maduro an 'evil, illegitimate dictator' and suggesting that Venezuela is now a safer place without him in power. However, the government is facing calls from opposition parties to condemn the US action, with the Liberal Democrats, Green Party, and Scottish National Party all criticizing the strikes. The debate continues, with some arguing that the US action is a necessary response to a dictatorial regime, while others emphasize the importance of adhering to international law and avoiding the creation of dangerous precedents.
