Both Washington's and London's ongoing support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido are more pertinent to their desire to control the nation's natural resources than to ensure democratic rule, Chris Williamson, Labour UK parliamentarian for Derby North constituency, told Sputnik
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th February, 2019) Both Washington's and London's ongoing support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido are more pertinent to their desire to control the nation's natural resources than to ensure democratic rule, Chris Williamson, Labour UK parliamentarian for Derby North constituency, told Sputnik.
"Any suggestion this is anything whatsoever to do with human rights and democracy is a completely sick joke ... This is entirely about oil. That's it. Were it not for the oil reserves I suspect [US President Donald] Trump wouldn't have as much interest in what's happening in Venezuela as he has now," Williamson said.
The lawmaker also noted that the Unites States was "more than happy" to "cosy up" "despotic regimes who utterly trash human rights," citing Saudi Arabia as an example.
"Of course this all started before Trump with [former US President] Barrack Obama who signed an executive order claiming that Venezuela posed an extraordinary threat to the national security of the United States of America. It's utterly absurd," Williamson added.
He was speaking at the scene of a lively protest as scores of pro-Venezuelan activists picketed the Bank of England in defiance of the United Kingdom's reputed decision to retain over one billion Pounds ($1.25 billion)-worth of Venezuelan gold.
The UK government is believed to have frozen access to that portion of Venezuela's gold reserves as part of their recognition of Guaido, despite multiple requests from Caracas for the assets to be returned.
Guaido is believed to have personally written to both UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Bank of England Governor Mark Carney imploring them to deny any further requests from the office of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, claiming that the sale of such sizeable reserves would allow the Maduro administration to crack down on internal dissent.
The Bank of England's apparent decision to comply with Guaido's request has not been well received by pro-Maduro supporters both in Venezuela and in the United Kingdom, with critics believing the bank could be unquestioningly following the political line of Trump.
"In my opinion there's no justification whatsoever for the action they [the Bank of England] have taken, and I wonder if they have been leaned on by the British government, who has not exactly covered itself in glory in response to the crisis in Venezuela," Williamson said.
He slammed the UK authorities for acting as "Trump's poodle" and said that the UK people would qualify the Bank of England's decision as proof that it was getting involved in a "democratic outrage ... in a struggle that's taking place in a nation many thousands of miles from here."
Williamson also lashed out at Guaido personally, arguing that his self-proclaimed status of interim president was illegitimate without proper electoral backing.
"In my opinion he has no political authority whatsoever. He didn't stand in the election last year against Maduro so if he wanted to be president of the country he should have put himself forward in an open democratic election," Williamson stressed.
Venezuela continues to be locked in the midst of a political crisis after National Assembly leader Guaido announced on January 23 that he was now interim president, citing the alleged illegitimacy of last year's presidential election as grounds for his declaration.
Although being dismissed by the Maduro administration in Caracas, Guaido has found ample backing internationally, with Trump's open support soon being followed by a multitude of nations, including sizeable European powers such as the United Kingdom, France and Austria.
Washington's stance has otherwise alarmed key allies of Venezuela, with Russia, China and Cuba having repeatedly called for the nation's internal affairs to be respected. EU nations failed this week to agree on a unified approach to the crisis after Italy vetoed a joint statement recognizing Guaido, according to a Sputnik source in Brussels.
Yet Trump stated last Sunday that military intervention in the oil rich nation was "an option" he might entertain, with National Security Advisor John Bolton claiming on Wednesday that the United States could potentially withdraw sanctions on select Venezuelan military officials if they declared support for Guaido.
