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Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew to Venezuela last month to meet with the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, in unofficial talks.
During the meeting, first reported by the Sunday Times, Johnson tried to convince the leader of the oil-rich South American nation to not give military support to its ally Russia. They also discussed normalization of relations between the U.K. and Venezuela.
The British newspaper wrote that the ex-PM was in Venezuela for less than 24 hours, having flown into the country by private jet from a holiday home in the nearby Dominican Republic.
According to a spokesman for Johnson, who is no longer in government or a member of parliament, the trip was conducted “with active support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the knowledge of the foreign secretary.” In the meeting, Johnson emphasized the need for fair elections as well as respect for the territorial integrity of neighboring countries, the spokesman saidd.
Venezuela has recently threatened to attack its neighbor, Guyana, which is in the midst of an oil boom.
Johnson has been outspoken in his support for Ukraine in its defense against the invasion by Russia. However, it is unusual for a former politician no longer in government to be involved in sensitive high-level talks with a foreign government.
Venezuela’s Maduro, meanwhile, is largely isolated from Western nations and the target of U.S. sanctions. He is accused of running unfree elections as well as plunging the country into poverty despite its oil wealth. Maduro has signalled his support for Russia, and blamed the U.S. for the invasion of Ukraine.
