Venezuela Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Nick Smith
Main Page: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney)Department Debates - View all Nick Smith's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Venezuela
Nick Smith Excerpts(3 days, 20 hours ago)
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Yvette Cooper
I guess I would just have to ask who it was who did not significantly invest in defence over the past 14 years. This Government are substantially increasing investment in defence, chairing the coalition of the willing, and showing leadership on the international stage. What has struck me since becoming Foreign Secretary, and having had discussions with Governments from across the world over the past few months, is how often those Governments say how welcome it is that Britain is back.
Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney) (Lab)
Maduro was an illegitimate president. In The New York Times today, Colette Capriles, writing from Caracas, describes a “struggle for survival”, a “primitive capitalism”, a
“web of bosses, private loyalties, corrupt practices and institutional ruins that have replaced public life”
in Venezuela. I ask the Foreign Secretary: what can the UK do to support the development of strong civic institutions there that can help to build a new Venezuela?