Corbyn: Maduro an improver
JEREMY CORBYN has been condemned for failing to criticise the president of Venezuela, instead claiming his regime had helped “improve” the lives of the country’s poor.
The Labour leader has been urged by backbenchers to criticise Nicolas Maduro after years of support.
However, yesterday he said it was important to recognise Mr Maduro’s “effective and serious attempts” to reduce poverty and improve literacy. He called for “dialogue and a process” to improve the situation in the South American country, which has led to the families of British embassy staff withdrawing and Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, accusing Mr Maduro of behaving like the “dictator of an evil regime”.
Mr Corbyn praised Mr Maduro in June 2015 when he said that Venezuela’s success in policy areas like health and education were a “cause for celebration”. Speaking in Crawley, West Sussex, where he was attending a
meeting of Labour Party members, Mr Corbyn said: “I’m very sad at the lives that have been lost in Venezuela.
“The people who have died, either those on the streets or security forces that have been attacked by people on the street – all of those lives are terrible for the loss of them. There has to be a dialogue and a process that respects the independence of the judiciary and respects the human rights of all.”
Asked whether he condemned Mr Maduro’s actions, Mr Corbyn said: “What I condemn is the violence that’s been done by any side, by all sides, in all this. Violence is not going to solve the issue. The issues in Venezuela are partly structural because not enough has been done to diversify the economy away from oil – that has to be a priority for the future.
“But we also have to recognise that there have been effective and serious attempts at reducing poverty in Venezuela, improving literacy and improving the lives of many of the poorest people.”
Mr Maduro has faced global condemnation after he appeared to crack down on his enemies after a vote which gave his ruling socialist party nearly unlimited powers. Pressed on whether he regretted supporting Mr Maduro when he was elected, he said: “I gave the support of many people around the world for the principle of a government that was dedicated towards reducing inequality.”
Priti Patel, the International Development Secretary, said: “Incredibly, Jeremy Corbyn has flat out refused to condemn the brutal regime championed by his socialist ally and friend, President Maduro. The sheer brutality of the government in Venezuela is appalling. Poverty and malnutrition are rife – people are queuing up for rice and milk, hospitals have run out of medical supplies and parents are so desperate, they are handing their children over to the state.
“Despite the destitution and the depravity of Maduro’s government, Corbyn fails to criticise Maduro. What will it take for Corbyn to finally urge Maduro to stop the violence, the human rights abuses, the poverty and the killings?”
Frank Field, a Labour MP, has said Venezuela’s “desperate” situation could have greater repercussions for Mr Corbyn among younger supporters than Tory attempts during the general election campaign to highlight his links to Irish republicans.