Boris Johnson hints at fresh sanctions for Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro re-election

Liz Bates

Boris Johnson has suggested fresh economic sanctions could be imposed on Venezuela following the “obviously rigged” re-election of Nicolas Maduro.



Speaking during a visit to Buenos Aires, where he is attending a G20 meeting of foreign ministers, the Foreign Secretary said the recent election in the region had been “neither free nor fair” and had "further eroded Venezuelan democracy".

Asked how the international community planned to respond, he said: "We will be talking about what we can do.

"The feeling I get from talking to my counterparts is that they see no alternative to economic pressure and it's very sad because obviously the downside of sanctions is that they can affect the population that you don't want to suffer.

"But in the end, as one politician in this area said, things have got to get worse before they get better - and we may have to tighten the economic screw on Venezuela."

Mr Johnson also lashed out at the Labour leadership over its stance on the Venezuelan regime, saying it was hypocritical that the party had taken a much harder line against US President Donald Trump.

He said: “It’s striking that you’ve got the Labour opposition refusing to condemn Maduro but lining up to denounce the visit of our closest, most trusted, most important ally.

“It is beyond satire, it is a paradox.”

The Foreign Secretary went on to urge Mr Maduro, who recently faced allegations of vote-rigging after winning a second six-year term as president of Venezuela, to accept international help for citizens suffering in the region.

He said: "I remain deeply concerned by the man-made humanitarian and economic crisis, which is growing worse by the day.

"I urge the Venezuelan government to take immediate action and let the international community deliver essential food and medicines.

"The suffering of ordinary Venezuelan people cannot be allowed to continue."