Jeremy Corbyn has refused to denounce President Maduro of Venezuela for a wave of violent suppression after a disputed poll, instead praising the socialist regime’s “effective and serious” efforts to reduce poverty.
The Labour leader responded to the crisis in the country, in which 105 people have been killed and opposition leaders arrested in night-time raids, for the first time by condemning violence by “all sides”.
Venezuela, where inflation is as high as 720 per cent, is on the verge of bankruptcy and there are widespread shortages of food and medicine.
Until yesterday Mr Corbyn, who has been on holiday in Croatia, had stayed silent on the issue as Venezuelan forces cracked down on protests after changes to the constitution gave Mr Maduro’s ruling socialist party near-unlimited powers.
Speaking in Crawley, West Sussex, where he was attending a meeting of Labour Party members, Mr Corbyn said: “I’m very sad at the lives that have been lost in Venezuela. The people who have died, either those on the streets or security forces that have been attacked by people on the street — all of those lives are terrible for the loss of them.”
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Asked whether he condemned Mr Maduro’s actions, Mr Corbyn said: “What I condemn is the violence that’s been done by any side, by all sides, in all this. Violence is not going to solve the issue.” He added: “We also have to recognise that there have been effective and serious attempts at reducing poverty in Venezuela, improving literacy and improving the lives of many of the poorest people.”
His comments drew renewed criticism from Labour MPs, with Frank Field saying that voters expected “future prime ministers” to stand up for human rights and democracy.
John Spellar, another Labour MP, said that Mr Corbyn should “come down clearly, recognise the failure of the regime, the political crisis that that has created and to stand firmly with the people of Venezuela and the proper constitutional bodies”, adding that the leader’s statement “doesn’t do that”.
“He’s just got back off holiday, I think he needs to reconsider and come out with an unequivocal statement on the lines that I’ve described, recognising the crisis and standing with the people of Venezuela,” he said. The Conservatives went further. Priti Patel, the international development secretary, said: “Incredibly, Jeremy Corbyn has flat out refused to condemn the brutal regime championed by his socialist ally and friend, President Maduro.
“The sheer brutality of the government in Venezuela is appalling. Poverty and malnutrition are rife — people are queuing up for rice and milk, hospitals have run out of medical supplies and parents are so desperate, they are handing their children over to the state.
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“Despite the destitution and the depravity of Maduro’s government, Corbyn fails to criticise Maduro. What will it take for Corbyn to finally urge Maduro to stop the violence, the human rights abuses, the poverty and the killings?”
The Foreign Office last night confirmed that it had given £1.4 million in aid to Venezuela last year, exposing ministers to possible allegations of double standards. “The UK’s work in Venezuela supports our long-term vision for the country to be more stable, democratic and prosperous, which is in the interest of the international community and our own national interest. The viability of work in Venezuela will be kept under review given the current situation in the country,” a spokesman for the Foreign Office said.
Officials said that some of the cash was in support of the country’s national guard, which has been at the forefront of violent clashes with the opposition. They insisted that it was for a “dedicated anti-drug unit” separate from other law enforcement bodies.
No 10 said that Britain condemned the Maduro government for forcing through a constituent assembly that clearly did not represent the will of the Venezuelan people.
