Key facts
- Britain will upgrade diplomatic relations with Venezuela.
- The UK will appoint an ambassador to Venezuela.
- The decision is part of a broader international reengagement.
- The UK's stance does not change its assessment of Venezuela's electoral processes.
- The UK recognizes states, not governments.
Britain announced on Tuesday that it would upgrade its diplomatic relations with Venezuela, appointing an ambassador to the country. The UK government stated that this decision is part of a broader international reengagement and aims to strengthen its ability to support a transition to democracy in Venezuela.
The government clarified in a written statement to parliament that this approach does not signify any change in the UK's assessment of recent electoral processes in Venezuela, including those held in 2024, nor does it represent an endorsement of any party. The UK's longstanding position is to recognize states, not governments.
According to a statement from the Foreign Secretary, the UK was not involved in US air strikes on Venezuelan targets over the weekend, which led to the capture and indictment of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores on charges including narco-terrorism, drug smuggling, and weapons charges. The Foreign Secretary described the Maduro regime as a hub for criminal gangs, with corrupt links to Iran and Hezbollah, and malign support from Russia, facilitating illicit finance, sanctions evasion, and organized criminal activity. The statement noted Venezuela's economic ruin, with an 8% drop in GDP over a decade, and over eight million people having left the country. It also referenced the International Criminal Court's investigation into possible crimes against humanity and UN investigators' reports of arbitrary detentions, torture, and killings.
The statement also detailed that in the July 2024 presidential elections, official results were never published, and opposition leader María Corina Machado was banned from standing. International observers cited failures of electoral integrity, with independent tallies showing a victory for Edmundo González, yet Maduro was declared the winner. González has since fled the country and claimed political asylum in Spain.