A miracle in Caracas. British military medics have pulled a newborn from the wreckage of a collapsed hospital. The building, already shaky from years of neglect, gave way during a 5.2 magnitude aftershock. The infant, hours old, was trapped for six hours under concrete and steel.
The operation was coordinated from Whitehall. Sources say the PM was briefed within minutes. The story is a rare PR win for a government battered by domestic crises. But don't mistake compassion for politics. The medics were there as part of a long-standing disaster relief agreement. They acted without hesitation.
Details are still emerging. The baby's mother is in critical condition. The child has been airlifted to a field hospital. A Royal Navy surgeon described the rescue as 'the most delicate operation of his career.' The infant is stable. An RAF C-17 is on standby for medical evacuation to the UK.
This is a human story. But it is also a political one. The government will milk this for all its worth. Expect a flurry of ministerial visits. Expect tweets. Expect photo ops. The opposition will tread carefully. They know the public mood. Any criticism will be seen as unpatriotic.
The real question is what happens next. The Venezuelan regime is corrupt. British aid often disappears. But this rescue shows what UK forces can achieve. It is a reminder of soft power. Hard to quantify. Impossible to ignore.
I am told the PM's private secretary called the team 'national treasures.' That language is carefully chosen. The government needs heroes. They found them in a Caracas rubble pile.
More details as we get them. Watch this space.
