London, Jan. 4, 2026 (Naija247news) — British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declined to say whether United States President Donald Trump’s military action against Venezuela breached international law, insisting that the UK government must first establish all the facts surrounding the operation that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme on Saturday, Starmer stopped short of condemning the US strikes, saying the situation remained “fast-moving” and unclear.
“I want to get all the material facts together, and we simply haven’t got the full picture at the moment,” the prime minister said. “I’ve been a lifelong advocate of international law and the importance of compliance with international law, but we need to get all the facts at our disposal before coming to a decision about the consequences.”
Starmer stressed that the United Kingdom had no involvement in Saturday’s large-scale US strikes on Venezuela and confirmed that he had not yet spoken to President Trump about the operation.
Later on Saturday, however, the prime minister posted on X that the UK had long regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president, adding that Britain would “shed no tears about the end of his regime.”
“The UK government will discuss the evolving situation with US counterparts in the days ahead as we seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people,” Starmer said.
British Nationals in Venezuela
The UK government said it was working closely with the British embassy in Caracas to safeguard approximately 500 British citizens currently in Venezuela. The Foreign Office has advised against all travel to the country and urged British nationals already there to “shelter in place” or be prepared to change their plans at short notice.
Details of the US Operation
The US operation involved large-scale military strikes on targets in Venezuela, followed by a raid in Caracas that resulted in the capture of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. According to US media reports, elite Delta Force soldiers were involved in the mission, and the couple were flown out of the country in coordination with US law enforcement agencies.
Maduro has since been indicted in the United States on drugs and weapons charges, allegations he has consistently denied. President Trump has said the US will “run” Venezuela until what he described as a “safe, proper and judicious transition” takes place.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he anticipated no further military action against Venezuela, describing the operation as part of a broader effort to counter alleged narcotics trafficking and irregular warfare directed at the United States.
Legal and International Concerns
A former chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court told the BBC that the US military campaign appeared to amount to a “planned, systematic attack against civilians during peacetime,” raising serious concerns under international law.
The White House has rejected that assessment, insisting the operation complied with the laws of armed conflict and was necessary to protect the United States from drug cartels “trying to bring poison to our shores.”
UK Political Reactions
The US action has drawn sharply divided reactions across the UK political spectrum.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she would not “rush to judgment,” adding that attention should focus on Venezuelans “risking their lives for democracy.”
Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said “nobody will shed tears” over Maduro’s removal, describing the moment as a “very serious geopolitical development.”
Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney acknowledged that the Maduro regime was illegitimate but stressed that “all nations must act within the international rules-based system.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey and Green Party leader Zack Polanski urged Starmer to explicitly condemn the US strikes, warning that unlawful military action sets a dangerous precedent globally.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, however, argued that the “unorthodox” US operation could serve as a deterrent to future aggression by Russia and China.
European Union Response
The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said the bloc was closely monitoring developments in Venezuela and called for full respect for the United Nations Charter.
As global reactions continue to unfold, Starmer faces mounting pressure at home and abroad to clarify the UK’s position on the legality of the US action and its implications for international law and global stability.
Naija247news Staff ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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