US military action in Venezuela morally right – Kemi Badenoch

UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has expressed that the recent military intervention by the US in Venezuela was ethically justified, although she raised doubts regarding the legal justification for this action.

During interviews with the BBC, Badenoch stated that she did not have a complete grasp of the legal parameters surrounding former US President Donald Trump's initiative to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Nonetheless, she contended that Maduro led an oppressive regime and supported his ousting.

“Where the legal clarity is still ambiguous, I genuinely believe it was the correct action to take,” Badenoch commented on BBC Radio 4’s Today show.

She labeled the US involvement as “remarkable” but indicated that she comprehended the reasoning behind it, in light of Maduro’s leadership style.

“He was in charge of a violent government, and I am pleased that he is no longer in power,” she remarked.

Badenoch further recognized that the operation had wider implications for international standards. She pointed out that the intervention “does create significant concerns about the rules-based order,” especially regarding the interpretations and applications of international law.

So far, the UK government has refrained from criticizing the US action or expressing whether it violated international law. Instead, officials have consistently referred to Maduro as an “illegitimate leader.”

In contrast, various Labour MPs and opposition groups, such as the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and the Scottish National Party, have urged the government to officially denounce the intervention and label it illegal.

Reflecting on her own background, Badenoch mentioned that her views were influenced by her experience under military rule.

“I grew up in a military dictatorship, so I understand the reality of having a leader like Maduro in control,” she said, recalling her childhood in Nigeria before relocating to the UK at 16.

Vanguard News