A Labour MP has been slapped down for visiting the Venezuelan embassy to ‘pay tribute’ to those who died in Donald Trump‘s raid on the South American country.
Richard Burgon, the MP for Leeds East, was revealed to have made the trip to ‘convey his condolences’ for the ‘heroes who fell’ during US military strikes on 3 January.
In an extraordinary mission earlier this month, US troops entered Venezuelan capital Caracas to capture the country’s leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Mr Maduro, who had ruled Venezuela since 2013, and Cilia Flores were then flown to America where they are now facing drugs and weapons charges.
Mr Trump’s astonishing action has been condemned by left-wing MPs in Parliament, with Mr Burgon having led outrage at a ‘flagrant violation’ of international law.
In a social media post on Tuesday, the Venezuelan embassy in London shared pictures of Mr Burgon signing what appeared to be a book of condolence.
The embassy said Mr Burgon had visited to ‘convey his condolences and pay tribute to the heroes who fell on January 3 during the military attacks against our country’.
It added that Mr Burgon, described as a ‘friend of Venezuela’, had also been thanked for his role in a ‘declaration denouncing the aggression against Venezuela’.
In a social media post on Tuesday, the Venezuelan embassy in London shared pictures of Richard Burgon signing what appeared to be a book of condolence
The MP for Leeds East, was revealed to have made the trip to ‘convey his condolences’ for the ‘heroes who fell’ during US military strikes on 3 January
Asked on Times Radio on Friday morning about Mr Burgon’s visit to the Venezuelan embassy, Government minister Stephen Kinnock said: ‘I wasn’t aware of that visit.
‘Maduro was a dreadful dictator who abused his own people, ran an incredibly repressive and authoritarian regime.’
Asked if the visit was without the blessing of Downing Street, Mr Kinnock added: ‘I think that would certainly be safe to assume.
‘The US took the action that it took. We will always support and defend the rule of law and international law does need to be respected.
‘But what’s also clear is that Mr Maduro himself was an authoritarian, appalling dictator.
‘I don’t think we should be expressing any sympathy with him or the people around him.’
Mr Burgon, who was a senior shadow minister when Jeremy Corbyn was Labour leader, has organised a motion in Parliament condemning the Venezuela strikes.
A total of 40 MPs, including Mr Corbyn and 25 Labour backbenchers, have signed the motion that criticises Mr Trump’s action.
The early day motion states the US President’s raid ‘constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of the United Nations charter’.
It adds that Mr Trump’s strikes, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, were ‘aimed primarily at securing control over Venezuela’s oil resources’.
It also describes the American mission as ‘part of a wider attempt by the US to reassert colonial-style domination over Latin America’.
Speaking in the House of Commons on 5 January, Mr Burgon lashed out at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to denounce Mr Trump’s action.
He said: ‘Is not the reality that the Prime Minister is willing to ditch international law and side-step the United Nations charter in order to appease Donald Trump?
‘And does not that cowardly, craven approach drag this country’s reputation through the dirt?’
In response, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Mr Burgon she found it ‘hard not to remember’ his ‘support and welcome for the Maduro regime’.
‘A regime that is currently being investigated for crimes against humanity,’ she added.
