Corbyn spin chief’s love-in with despot of Venezuela
JEREMY Corbyn’s chief spin doctor lavished praise on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro after a bloody clampdown on his own people, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
Despite the violence on the streets of the Venezuelan capital Caracas in 2014 that left 40 protesters dead, Seumas Milne jetted to South America to interview the ruthless Marxist.
And in a gushing report, the then journalist claimed the despot, who today is struggling to maintain his grip on the oil-rich nation, was more inspired by Beatle John Lennon than hard-Left ideology.
He added that Maduro ‘plays guitar and likes salsa’ and ‘is keen on Indian philosophy and meditates regularly’.
Mr Milne left The Guardian newspaper the following year to take up his position as director of strategy in the Labour leader’s office.
His former media bosses were so worried about the 2014 interview being too sympathetic that they insisted Mr Milne was accompanied by a senior editor.
One source said: ‘A grown-up was sent to hand-hold because everyone knew what Seumas was like. Someone had to be there to make sure he actually asked some probing questions.’
However, their plan failed – in a video of the meeting, Mr Milne is seen embracing and joking with Maduro bef o r e a s ki ng hi m a s e r i e s o f soft questions.
Despite widespread allegations of vote-rigging and opposition leaders being detained, Mr Milne claimed the protests against Maduro were an ‘antidemocratic rebellion’.
And he attacked the US government for interfering in the region, blaming ‘powerful interests’ rather than the Socialist government for food short-
ages that have left citizens forced to eat zoo animals.
Mr Milne went on to urge Britain to look to Maduro for inspiration, saying: ‘Venezuela is very far from being the basket case of its enemies’ hopes.’
He added: ‘They have demonstrated that there are multiple social and economic alternatives to the failed neolib- eral system that still has the West and its allies in its grip.’
His comments echo a claim made by Mr Corbyn that Venezuela has ‘showed us that there is a different, and a better, way of doing things. It’s called Socialism’.
Last night, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that the UK would recognise Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president if fair elections were not announced within eight days. The move marks a ratcheting-up of pressure on Maduro, who faces international demands to give way to Mr Guaido, head of the country’s national assembly.
Mr Hunt tweeted: ‘After banning opposition candidates, ballot box stuffing and counting irregularities in a deeply flawed election, it is clear Nicolas Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela.’
And in a dig at the Labour leader, Mr Hunt added: ‘ Wonder how proud Jeremy Corbyn is of ringing Nicolas Maduro on live TV to congratulate him on his victory?’
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday called on countries to ‘pick a side’ on Venezuela, urging them to back Mr Guaido.
‘Now it is time for every other nation to pick a side. No more delays, no more games,’ Mr Pompeo told the UN Security Council in New York.
‘Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem.’