"My Lords, the FCDO continues to advise against all but essential travel to Venezuela. The safety of British nationals abroad is the FCDO’s overriding concern when determining travel advice, which remains under regular review to ensure that it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. The FCDO has …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"It will be updated if it needs to be changed; just because it has not changed does not mean it is not reviewed. Unfortunately, Venezuela is now in an “all but essential” category, and certain border areas are in a red category. That being said, our citizens do not always …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"Our obligations to those in overseas territories are very different, and they are clearly prioritised in circumstances when disasters kick in. We have very limited diplomatic relations with Venezuela; at the moment, we have a chargé in Caracas. At this stage, we do not plan to withdraw that, but we …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"I can tell the noble Lord that the UK is not involved in any way in the activities of the US in this part of the Caribbean. I am struggling to see the parallel between the situations in Venezuela and Ukraine. There are very difficult problems to address in both …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"The noble Lord knows that I am not going to talk about sanctions or whether we are about to lift or impose them, but it is absolutely true that Europe is one of the biggest markets for narcotics coming out of Latin America and central America specifically. The demand for …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"I am not here to second-guess legal advice or the situation in regard to any specific incident in the Caribbean. What the US does with regard to Venezuela and its position on its activities in the Caribbean are clearly a matter for the US...." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"One of the many tragedies of this situation is that Venezuela ought to be a prosperous, stable country that is able to provide a good life for its citizens; that is not the case. Our concerns are around civil liberties, democracy, the rule of law, the safety and protection of …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"My noble friend is right that there is a limited team currently in Caracas, but it is incredibly well led and very effective. It is also served by the country-based staff, who do a tremendous job. Communications are a challenge, and knowing exactly where British nationals are—they are under no …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"I have huge admiration for María Corina Machado. I have spoken to her. She did not run for president, but she is clearly a voice for those in Venezuela who feel that their democratic wishes have not been reflected in the make-up of their Government. We continue to have conversations …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech
"We have been very clear in our support for Guyana on this issue, and these sorts of disputes must be resolved through the legal and diplomatic means which are available. Occasionally, the Essequibo issue is raised in Venezuelan politics, and noble Lords can form their own judgments about why this …..." Baroness Chapman of Darlington - View Speech