Mentions:
1: Ian Liddell-Grainger (Con - Bridgwater and West Somerset) Commonwealth and Development Office if he will make a statement on the urgent threat posed to Guyana by Venezuela - Speech Link
2: David Rutley (Con - Macclesfield) Friend here right now.We are deeply concerned about the recent steps taken by Venezuela with respect - Speech Link
3: David Rutley (Con - Macclesfield) We are deeply concerned by the unilateral move by Venezuela over this region. - Speech Link
4: David Rutley (Con - Macclesfield) This is a settled matter, and Venezuela needs to sort out its own issues. - Speech Link
Mar. 20 2024
Source Page: UN Human Rights Council 55: UK Statement for Fact-Finding Mission on VenezuelaFound: UN Human Rights Council 55: UK Statement for Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela
Mar. 19 2024
Source Page: UN Human Rights Council 55: UK Statement on human rights in VenezuelaFound: UN Human Rights Council 55: UK Statement on human rights in Venezuela
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Venezuela on reports that the opposition leader of the Unitary Platform has been blocked as a candidate from July’s presidential elections in Venezuela.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK does not to accept the legitimacy of the administration put in place by Nicolás Maduro. In my [Minister Rutley] tweet on 28 January, I registered our concern regarding the situation of María Corina Machado. Her disqualification from holding public office is a backwards step. All opposition candidates should be allowed to stand unimpeded for election in 2024. We urge the implementation of electoral guarantees in line with the Barbados Agreement of October 2023.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the current threat to the territorial integrity of Guyana posed by Venezuela.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela. The UK's position is clear: the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration. The Foreign Secretary has reassured President Ali of this. The UK continues to engage with regional partners and international bodies to de-escalate tensions.
Minister Rutley visited Guyana on 18 December. HMS Trent also visited on 29/30 December as a further signal of support for Guyana's sovereign borders.
The UK welcomes the Argyle Declaration signed by Venezuela and Guyana in St Vincent and the Grenadines on 14 December, which makes clear that Venezuela is to refrain from the use of force and any further escalation.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are giving Guyana to deter any aggressive territorial activity by Venezuela.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela. The UK's position is clear: the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration. The Foreign Secretary has reassured President Ali of this. The UK continues to engage with regional partners and international bodies to de-escalate tensions.
I [Minister Rutley] visited Guyana on 18 December. HMS Trent also visited on 29/30 December as a further signal of support for Guyana's sovereign borders.
The UK welcomes the Argyle Declaration signed by Venezuela and Guyana in St Vincent and the Grenadines on 14 December, which makes clear that Venezuela is to refrain from the use of force and any further escalation.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Guyana on the recent referendum in Venezuela on the Venezuela-Guyana border.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela. We are clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration. The Foreign Secretary has reassured President Ali of this. We continue to work with regional partners and international bodies to de-escalate tensions.
I [Minister Rutley] visited Guyana on 18 December. I met with President Ali, Foreign Secretary Todd, National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia, Defence Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Omar Khan and the CARICOM Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett to show UK support for Guyana's territorial integrity.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will have discussions with his Venezuelan counterpart on reports that Venezuelan security services used gangs to attack exiled opponents living in exile in Colombia.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK does not accept the legitimacy of the administration put in place by Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. The UK strongly condemns activity which reaches across borders to interfere with individuals' safety and freedom. Our Embassy in Bogota is active in defending the democratic rights of the Venezuelan opposition in Colombia. During my visit to Colombia last month, I [Minister Rutley] met with Vice Foreign Minister Coy and urged Colombia to continue to use its influence to encourage Venezuela to hold fair and competitive elections.
Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the position of the government of Venezuela regarding Guyana's Essequibo region, the security situation in Guyana, and UK's support for the territorial integrity of Guyana.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela with respect to the Essequibo region of Guyana. We believe the unilateral actions of Venezuela are unjustified and should cease. We are clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration. The UK supports Guyana's territorial integrity. The Foreign Secretary has reassured President Ali of this. We continue to work with regional partners and international bodies to de-escalate tensions.
Minister Rutley visited Guyana on 18 December to show UK support for its territorial integrity.