United Kingdom–Venezuela relations

United Kingdom–Venezuela relations are bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Venezuela.

United Kingdom – Venezuela relations

United Kingdom
Venezuela

Falklands Islands

Although both countries were mostly on good terms, Venezuela expressed its support to its sister nation of Argentina over the British-Argentine Falklands Islands dispute that eventually led to the Falklands War between the UK and Argentina in 1982.[1]

UK support for change of president
See also: Venezuelan presidential crisis

As of August 2017, the British Government advised against 'all but essential travel' to Venezuela, and withdrew dependents of British Embassy staff, due to the 'ongoing unrest and instability', citing the protests and crime in the country.[2]

In January 2019 during a visit to the United States, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt stated that "Nicolás Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela" and Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó should become President of Venezuela.[3] On 4 February 2019, Hunt stated that the UK officially recognised Guaidó as President.[4] This policy is a specific exception to the UK's long held policy of recognising states rather than specific governments.[5][6]

In Autumn 2019 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office created the 'Venezuela Reconstruction Unit' led by John Saville, formerly UK ambassador to Venezuela, to coordinate a UK effort to support Venezuela. After this became public in May 2020, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza summoned the UK’s Charge d'Affaires "to present a formal protest and demand explanations", and in a Twitter post wrote "We demand that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland withdraw from Washington's coup plans and from any destabilizing initiative".[7][8] Venezuela characterised the Venezuela Reconstruction Unit as an attempt to give future preferred status to British companies in Venezuela.[9]

Control of gold in London

Since 2018, the Bank of England has delayed releasing 31 tonnes of Venezuelan gold to the Maduro government.[10] UK foreign office minister Alan Duncan said in January 2019 that while the disposition of the gold was a Bank of England decision, "they will take into account there are now a large number of countries across the world questioning the legitimacy of Nicolás Maduro and recognising that of Juan Guaidó.".[11]

On 14 May 2020, the Central Bank of Venezuela filed a legal action against the Bank of England, to force Britain to release the €930m worth of gold to the United Nations Development Programme to buy healthcare equipment, medicine, and food for the COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela. Guaidó has appointed a parallel Venezuelan central bank board of directors, so the court will have to decide which board of directors legally controls the gold.[6][10]

See also
  • Venezuela Crisis of 1895, a border conflict about sovereignty of Venezuelan territory of Essequibo which the UK claimed as part of British Guiana.
  • Venezuela Crisis of 1902–1903, in which the UK was involved in a military blockade to enforce payment of Venezuelan debts

References
  1. "Hugo Chavez says Venezuelan troops would fight with Argentina over Falklands". The Daily Telegraph. 6 February 2012.
  2. "Venezuela Travel Advice". HM. Government. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
  3. "Foreign Secretary statement on situation in Venezuela, January 2019". Foreign and Commonwealth Office. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  4. Casalicchio, Emilio (4 February 2019). "Jeremy Hunt says UK recognises Juan Guaidó as president of crisis-hit Venezuela". PoliticsHome. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  5. Duncan, Alan (25 February 2019). "To Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee" (PDF). House of Commons. UK Parliament. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  6. "UK court must decide which leader to recognise in Venezuela gold case". The Guardian. Reuters. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  7. Martinez, Juan (17 May 2020). "British Support for Opposition Administration in Venezuela Uncovered". The Rio Times. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  8. "Caracas seeks 'coup attempt' explanation over 'Venezuela Reconstruction Unit' in UK Embassy". The Nation. Lahore. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  9. "Real Negotiation among Venezuela's Main Political Actors 'Only Way Forward' to Resolving Protracted Crisis, Under-Secretary-General Tells Security Council" (Press release). United Nations. 20 May 2020. SC/14193. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  10. "Venezuela in bid to force Bank of England to transfer $1bn of gold". The Guardian. Reuters. 19 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  11. Wintour, Patrick (28 January 2019). "Bank of England urged to give Juan Guaidó Venezuela's gold". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
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