The aftershock of Venezuela’s governance failure has created a humanitarian and security crisis of strategic proportions. The state has abandoned its citizens, leaving a power vacuum that non-state actors and hostile state proxies are rushing to fill. This is not merely a humanitarian tragedy; it is a threat vector with direct implications for regional stability and British national security.
The UK’s aid readiness is a tactical stopgap, but the underlying intelligence failure to predict this collapse must be scrutinised. The Maduro regime’s collapse was predictable: economic mismanagement, military disloyalty, and the erosion of state capacity created a perfect storm. Now, we see organised criminal networks and foreign-aligned militias seizing control of key infrastructure, including oil fields and ports.
UK aid teams on standby are a signal of intent, but logistics and force protection are critical. Without a clear strategic pivot to secure assets and prevent exploitation by adversaries, this will become a forward operating base for malign influence in Latin America. The risk is not just human; it is a long-term security liability.
