Ken Livingstone blames US 'meddling' for Venezuela crisis

Ken Livingstone has given his backing to beleaguered Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and accused the US of trying to “undermine” the South American country.

The former Mayor of London re-iterated his support for Mr Maduro despite who has been widely criticised in his homeland for an economic crisis and an election which was widely boycotted by his opponents.

Mr Livingstone, who is currently suspended from active involvement in the Labour Party over comments relating to Jews and Hitler, blamed the South American country's “establishment elite” for Venezuela’s problems.

“Hugo Chávez did not execute the establishment elite, he allowed them to continue so they’re still there”, he told The Times. “I think there’s a lot of rumours they’ve been blocking the important food and medicines and things like that because they control a lot of the companies.

He added: “America has got a long record of undermining any left-wing government as well. So I suspect it’s not all just down to the problems of the [Venezuelan] government.”

Asked whether he continued to support Mr Maduro, he replied: “Oh God, yes.”

During his time as Mayor, Mr Livingstone welcomed Mr Chavez to City Hall and struck a deal for Venezuela to provide £16m worth of oil every year to Transport for London in exchange for British support with urban planning and management.

Jeremy Corbyn has also been a firm ally of Venezuela and its socialist governments, although less vocally since becoming Labour leader.

Mr Maduro faced fresh criticism after claiming victory in elections for a new Constituent Assembly that will be tasked with amending the country’s constitution. The move will place more power in the hands of his ruling Socialist Party.

The current, opposition-controlled National Assembly has been stripped of many of its powers by Venezuela’s Supreme Court, which is generally loyal to Mr Maduro.

Opposition parties boycotted the latest elections and angry protests turned violent. At least three people died over the weekend, while more than 120 people have been killed during anti-government clashes in the last four months.

Mr Maduro is also under pressure over a struggling economy that has shrunk by more than a third since he took office in 2013.

The country, which relies heavily on oil exports, has been hit especially hard by the fall in oil prices in recent years. The economic crisis has led to soaring inflation and a shortage of food and other basic items.

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Venezuela’s Attorney General, Luisa Ortega, criticised the election.

"This is the end of freedom of expression, and this freedom has been battered for some time now," she said. "This is a smokescreen to hide the corruption and crisis that Venezuela faces. But they will have to climb over the institution that I represent, the people of Venezuela and our constitution."

The elections attracted criticism from a host of countries and led the US to impose fresh sanctions on Mr Maduro. All of his assets under US jurisdiction have been frozen and Americans have been banned from doing business with him.

"Maduro is not just a bad leader, he is now a dictator," said Donald Trump’s National Security Adviser, H R McMaster. "Recent actions culminating in yesterday's seizure of absolute power through the sham election of the National Constituent Assembly represent a very serious blow to democracy in our hemisphere."

In response, the Venezuelan President mocked Mr Trump, pointing out that the billionaire businessman had been elected despite receiving almost 3 million fewer votes than Hillary Clinton.

"I don't take orders from the empire," he said during a rally of supporters. "Keep up your sanctions, Donald Trump!"

"In the United States it's possible to become president with 3 million votes less than your opponent. What a tremendous democracy!"