‘Morally Right’: Kemi Badenoch Supports US Military Action in Venezuela

‘Morally Right’: Kemi Badenoch Supports US Military Action in Venezuela

UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has defended the US military operation in Venezuela that removed President Nicolás Maduro, describing the action as “morally right” despite unresolved legal and diplomatic concerns.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday, Badenoch acknowledged that she did not fully understand the legal basis of the US intervention, but argued that Maduro presided over a brutal authoritarian regime and that his removal was justified.

“Where the legal certainty is not yet clear, morally, I do think it was the right thing to do,” Badenoch said, adding that her experience growing up in Nigeria under military dictatorship shaped her views on life under authoritarian rule. “I grew up under a military dictatorship, so I know what it’s like to have someone like Maduro in charge.”

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However, Badenoch cautioned that the operation raised serious questions about the rules-based international order, stressing that such actions should not be conflated with interference in democratic states. She cited Greenland as an example, insisting that its future must be decided by Denmark and the Greenlandic people, not external powers.

The UK government has so far stopped short of publicly condemning the US action, continuing to describe Maduro as an “illegitimate president.” In contrast, opposition parties, including Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, and the Scottish National Party, have urged the government to denounce the operation and declare it illegal under international law.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended the government’s position, saying the prime minister was acting in the UK’s national interest and in the best interests of the Venezuelan people.

Criticism has come from senior Labour figures, including Emily Thornberry, who warned that the raid could set a dangerous precedent and embolden countries such as Russia and China. She argued that the UK must clearly explain its stance on international law.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she had reminded her US counterpart of Washington’s international legal obligations, but stressed that it was the responsibility of the United States to provide a clear legal justification for its actions.

‘Morally Right’: Kemi Badenoch Supports US Military Action in Venezuela