Once upon a time Venezuela was talked up by British socialists – from John McDonnell to Richard Burgon – as an example of a better way. As Jeremy Corbyn put it back in 2013:
‘Chavez showed us that there is a different and better way of doing things. It’s called socialism, it’s called social justice and it’s something that Venezuela has made a big step towards.’
Only ever since there were mass food shortages and toilet paper rations – with 82pc of households living in poverty – the majority of Corbynistas have gone a little quiet on the subject. However, as Chavez’s successor President Nicolás Maduro faces a political crisis amid mass protests against him and opposition leader Juan Guaidó asserting himself as an interim president, some have decided to speak up. Only rather than condemn the rule of Maduro, a range of Corbynistas – including Richard Burgon, Diane Abbott and John McDonnell – have sent a letter to the Grauniad condemning the United States for daring to recognise Guaidó as the country’s leader. They also turn their ire on anyone who back ‘the US attempt at regime change’:
Good to see they’ve got their priorities right…
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