Foreign Secretary to address MPs on US operation in Venezuela today as 'fog of war' looms
President Maduro is due to appear in court in New York later today on charges of 'narco-terrorism'
Yvette Cooper is expected to lay out the Government’s response to the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the House of Commons on Monday.
A minister has said that the Foreign Secretary will address MPs following the development over the weekend, which saw US military apprehend President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Mr Maduro is due to appear in court in New York later today, after he was indicted on charges of "narco-terrorism".
Home Office minister Mike Tapp revealed Ms Cooper's plans to make a statement during an appearance on BBC Breakfast this morning. He was reluctant, however, to say whether the UK believed America had breached international law.
Mr Tapp said there was a need to have "all the facts" amid the "fog of war" before making such an allegation. He added: "We will see later today – well, an application has gone into the Speaker – for a statement from the Foreign Secretary later today, so there may well be more detail on that."
The capture of President Maduro came after the US carried out strikes on the Venezuelan capital Caracas on January 2, following months of growing tensions between the two countries over alleged drug trafficking.
US President Donald Trump has accused Venezuela of infiltrating the US with illicit drugs, claiming that his country is in an 'armed conflict' with drug cartels.
Since September 2025, US forces have been carrying out strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats. The Trump administration says at least 35 boats have been hit, with more than 100 people killed.
Mr Trump had threatened for months that he could soon order strikes on targets on Venezuelan land. Last week, the CIA was reported to be behind a drone strike on a Venezuelan docking area allegedly used by drug traffickers - the first known direct US operation on Venezuelan soil in this campaign.
Mr Maduro has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to remove him from power and gain access to Venezuela's vast oil reserves. In a pre-recorded interview aired days before the strikes, he said the pressure campaign was aimed at forcing regime change.
On Friday, Venezuela said it was open to negotiating an agreement with the United States to combat drug trafficking - just hours before the reported attack.
The UN Security Council, of which the UK is a permanent member, is due to meet on Monday to discuss the operation in Venezuela.
Asked why he thought US president Donald Trump had instigated the operation, the Home Office said: "This is for Donald Trump to answer, and I think he has said in his press conference, which I watched with interest, around narco-terrorism and that threat."
Pressed by the broadcaster whether Venezuela’s vast oil wealth may have influenced the operation, Mr Tapp replied: "It’s not for me or the British Government at this point to go into that detail. It’s for the United States to lay out its legal basis for this operation."
Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Mr Trump revealed his plans to "fix" Venezuela’s oil infrastructure and sell "large amounts" of the fuel to other nations.
The removal of Maduro is seen as the most assertive US intervention to achieve regime change since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and followed months of pressure from Washington on the country and its autocratic leader.
Delcy Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president, has indicated she hopes to work with the US now she is the country’s interim leader.