Chakrabarti defends Corbyn after criticism of Venezuela stance

Shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti has defended Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn after he was criticised for attacking “outside interference” against Venezuela’s hardline socialist regime.

The former human rights campaigner hit out at the regime of Nicolas Maduro over torture and “disappearances” of political opponents, saying it was important for left-wing politicians to be evenhanded.

But she said Mr Corbyn was “a lifelong human rights defender” who struggled to get a fair hearing in the media.

It came after the opposition leader was criticised by Brendan Cox, the widower of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox and a former chief strategist at Save the Children, who accused him of “defending a dictator”.

Baroness Chakrabarti told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday that she relied on “trusted sources” such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch regarding the oil-rich South American nation, which is in the grip of a humanitarian and political crisis.

She said: “Last year’s reporting on Venezuela was pretty damning and that is in terms of disappearances, that is in terms of crushing dissent, that is in terms of reports of torture of prisoners and political prisoners, and it is completely unacceptable.

“It is incumbent on people like me, as someone of the left, to call out governments and states of the left, because human rights have to be applied with an even hand.”

But asked about Mr Corbyn’s response, she added: “Jeremy is a lifelong human rights defender, sometimes it is difficult for him to cut through in the media because people just say, ‘Well you’re a socialist, just like Venezuela is’.

“He has said that you have to have the rule of law and you have to have human rights, clearly if you match that with the reporting of Venezuela that is not happening.

“However, it would be very helpful if the United States and the UK Conservative Government would … call out Venezuela but also look across the way at Honduras, where you have a US-backed government which is also crushing dissent.”

Mr Corbyn on Friday criticised Jeremy Hunt, saying the Foreign Secretary was “wrong” to demand sanctions against the Maduro regime.

Mr Hunt spoke on Wednesday to Juan Guaido, the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, who is trying to oust socialist leader Mr Maduro.

The European Union on Thursday recognised Mr Guaido as interim president in place of Mr Maduro, with Mr Hunt calling for sanctions against the latter.

The United States has also recognised Mr Guaido’s leadership.

But in a Friday tweet, Mr Corbyn said: “The future of Venezuela is a matter for Venezuelans. Jeremy Hunt’s call for more sanctions on Venezuela is wrong.

“We oppose outside interference in Venezuela, whether from the US or anywhere else.

“There needs to be dialogue and a negotiated settlement to overcome the crisis.”

This sparked criticism from Mr Cox, whose wife was killed in 2016.

Writing on Twitter on Saturday, Mr Cox said: “The future of Venezuela has been taken out of the hands of Venezuelans by an increasingly corrupt and totalitarian state.

“By all means call for dialogue but if you don’t strongly condemn the subjugation of democracy it sounds like you are defending a dictator.”

Other senior Labour frontbenchers have also criticised the pressure being put on Mr Maduro, who is widely seen as a dictator, accusing the US of attempting “regime change”.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon were among a host of left-wing politicians, union leaders and activists who signed a letter to The Observer last Sunday.