Starmer won’t weigh whether US attacks on Venezuela break international law

Sir Keir Starmer has refused to comment on whether US President Donald Trump’s military action against Venezuela broke international law.

In an interview for the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program, the Prime Minister did not condemn the US attacks.

He said he was waiting to establish all the facts but would “not back down from this”, adding that he had been a “lifelong supporter of international law”.

Sir Keir had earlier said Britain was not involved in Saturday’s mass attacks on Venezuela and that he had not spoken to Trump about the operation that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.

The government is working with the UK Embassy in Caracas to ensure the safety of approximately 500 British citizens in Venezuela and to provide them with appropriate advice.

In a comprehensive interview, the Prime Minister faced questions about the developments in Venezuela and his belief in the upholding of international law.

“I want to bring all the physical facts together, and at the moment, we don’t have the full picture,” Sir Keir told the BBC. “It’s moving fast, and we need to tie it all together.

“I can be really clear with you that Britain had no involvement in this operation. Then I need to talk to President Trump; I need to talk to my allies, but I don’t shy away from that.

“I have been a lifelong supporter of international law and the importance of compliance with international law.

“But I want to ensure that I have all the facts, and at the moment we haven’t got them. Before making any decisions about the consequences of the actions taken, we need to gather all the necessary facts.

During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence, Trump said the US was going to “run” Venezuela until “a safe, just and prudent transition is made”.

Earlier, he announced that US law enforcement coordinated a military operation to evacuate Venezuela’s leftist president and his wife, Cilia Flores, from Caracas.

CBS News, the BBC’s North American partner, reports that the raid used elite Delta Force soldiers to capture them.

According to US officials, Maduro has been convicted on drugs and weapons charges. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he did not expect any further action against Venezuela.

The attacks inside Venezuela follow sustained US pressure against the Maduro government.

The Trump administration recently has described its military actions in the region as part of a non-international armed conflict with alleged drug traffickers, whom it accuses of waging irregular warfare against the US.

A former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court told the BBC that the US military operation typically amounts to a planned, systematic attack against civilians during peacetime.

In response, the White House said it had acted consistently with the laws of armed conflict to protect the United States from cartels “trying to bring poison to our shores … destroying the American way of life.”

Separately, in his BBC interview, Sir Keir said Britain faced a “more unstable world,” but he would not say whether Trump was contributing to global instability, saying he and the US president “move on.”

“I think we are in a more volatile world than we have been for many years,” Sir Keir said.

“And I’m really struck by the fact that what’s happening internationally has a much more direct impact on the UK than at any time that most of us can remember.

As Prime Minister of this country, it is my responsibility to ensure that the relationship with the President of the United States functions effectively.

“And not only have I stepped up to that responsibility, but I’ve made it my business, and I move forward with President Trump.”

The military action in Venezuela is currently underway.

The military action in Venezuela has drawn reaction from across the UK political spectrum.

“No one will shed any tears” over Maduro’s “removal,” according to Conservative Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel.

“We have always strongly condemned Maduro’s brutal and repressive regime, and the conservative government does not recognise his administration as legitimate,” he said.

“We await the full facts about the U.S. operations that removed Maduro, and we want to see the Venezuelan people enjoying democratic norms and freedoms.

“This is clearly a grave geopolitical moment.”

Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey and Green Party leader Zac Polanski have both urged Sir Keir to condemn the US actions.

“Maduro is a brutal and illegitimate dictator, but unlawful attacks like this make us all less safe,” Dewey said. “Trump is giving people like Putin and Xi the green light to attack other countries with impunity.”

Polanski described the US military strike as “illegal” and “a violation of international human rights laws.”.

Reform Britain’s leader Nigel Farage said an “unconventional” military campaign by the US could prove a deterrent to future Russian and Chinese aggression.

Meanwhile, the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Callas, said the situation in Venezuela was being closely monitored and urged it to “respect” the UN charter.