Boris Johnson has sparked diplomatic confusion today, after it was revealed he is now acting as a “back channel” for the UK and the West with authoritarian autocrat President Maduro of Venezuela.
Mr Johnson secretly flew to the South American country last month for unofficial talks with the dictator, where it is believed he called for the country to allow free and fair elections.
He also championed support for Ukraine, amid concerns that the socialist country could supply weapons and support to Russia.
It’s now claimed that Mr Johnson was acting as a “back channel” for both the UK and the West, given Britain does not accept the legitimacy of President Maduro’s position.
Since leaving No. 10 most of Mr Johnson’s political work has related to championing Ukraine across the world stage, encouraging leaders not to give up on the war-torn country.
He has repeatedly met with President Zelensky, most recently on the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion, as well as urging Donald Trump and other sceptical Republicans of the need to continue supplying the country with support.
He’s also been lobbying the heads of states in crucial African and South American countries to back the West’s anti-Russian position.
Confusion about Mr Johnson’s most recent visit has been compounded by the claims that the Foreign Secretary and the Foreign Office were aware it was set to take place.
The former PM’s spokesman said: “Boris Johnson met Venezuelan government officials with active support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the knowledge of the foreign secretary, in order to emphasise the need for Venezuela to embrace a proper democratic process”.
“He repeatedly made clear there can be no hope of normalisation in relations until Venezuela fully embraces democracy and respects the territorial integrity of its neighbours. He also set out the case for the cause of Ukrainian victory to the government of Venezuela.”
It’s reported by the Sunday Times that Mr Johnson texted Lord Cameron en route, though as the meeting was not an official discussion, formal permission was neither required nor sought.
Mr Johnson’s spokesman said the flight, from the Dominic Republic where he was holidaying with his family, was privately funded and neither the British nor Venezuelan governments contributed to the cost.
In anticipation of claims that the former Prime Minister is cosying up to extremists, those close to Mr Johnson have insisted he still regards President Maduro as a “human rights-abusing dictator”.
They also claim the conversation was “one-way traffic” as Mr Johnson delivered a “robust set of messages”, though was given no official message to relay to Whitehall.
The Sunday Times reports that Mr Johnson’s post-No. 10 career of drumming up support for Ukraine is increasingly supported by Rishi Sunak, who believes it limits his predecessor’s engagement in domestic politics.
In 2018 while serving as Foreign Secretary, Mr Johnson called the then-Venezuelan elections a “sham” and warned: “We may have to tighten the economic screw on Venezuela”.
The Foreign Office says that the UK “continues not to accept the legitimacy of the administration put in place by Nicolás Maduro”.
