The British Minister for Europe and the Americas, Sir Alan Duncan, strongly condemned the decision from the Venezuela Constituent Assembly announcing it will take over the established National Assembly's powers.
Venezuela’s high court issued an arrest order for the ousted chief prosecutor’s husband on Thursday after authorities accused him of running a US$6 million extortion ring, a ruling promptly denounced by government critics as a move aimed at silencing opponents of President Nicolas Maduro.
Jeremy Corbyn has condemned the “violence done by all sides” in the Venezuela conflict but stopped short of criticising president, Nicolas Maduro.
Latin American foreign ministers are scheduled to hold an extraordinary meeting this Tuesday in Lima to address the current state of affairs in Venezuela, Peruvian foreign minister Ricardo Luna announced.
Mercosur foreign ministers meeting on Saturday in Brazil suspended Venezuela indefinitely for failing to uphold democratic norms amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent in the country. The bloc previously suspended Venezuela in December for failing to uphold commitments it made when it joined the group in 2012.
The newly installed constitutional assembly ousted Venezuela's defiant chief prosecutor on Saturday, a sign that President Nicolas Maduro's embattled government intends to move swiftly against critics and consolidate power amid a fast-moving political crisis.
Labour MP close to Jeremy Corbyn has criticized the US's decision to impose sanctions on the Venezuelan president. Chris Williamson said it would be better to facilitate talks between the government and opposition amid ongoing political unrest and violence.
Venezuela's close ally China said it believed voting in the country's Constituent Assembly election was generally held smoothly, brushing off widespread condemnation from the United States, Europe and others and evidence of voting irregularities.
Venezuela's military and cabinet expressed their continued support for President Nicolas Maduro, a day after the United States announced sanctions against the president. The sanctions were in retaliation for defying the White House by refusing to cancel elections for a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) to rewrite the Constitution.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called on Monday on Venezuela’s government to take urgent action to stop the division in society following Sunday's the Constituent Assembly vote. Venezuela stands on the brink of disaster and Nicholas Maduro’s government must stop before it is too late. The country is turning on itself – more than 100 have died already – and democracy and basic rights are in jeopardy, said Boris Johnson.