by Oliver Reynolds
Concerns over possible breaches of international law prompt the UK to pause intelligence support for US-led maritime strikes near Venezuela, straining transatlantic security cooperation
The United Kingdom has suspended parts of its intelligence-sharing arrangement with the United States amid growing concerns over a series of deadly U.S. strikes on boats near the Venezuelan coast, according to multiple media reports.
Since September, the U.S. has carried out at least 14 maritime strikes in the Caribbean as part of a sweeping anti-narcotics campaign. The operations, which have resulted in over 70 deaths, have drawn sharp condemnation from Venezuela, which accuses Washington of “murder” and aggression against its sovereignty.
Downing Street did not deny reporting by CNN that Britain is withholding intelligence to avoid being complicit in what it fears may constitute violations of international law. The UK has long played a supporting role in regional counter-narcotics operations, sharing intelligence from British territories in the Caribbean to help U.S. forces intercept suspected smuggling vessels.
However, according to sources cited by CNN, UK officials are now alarmed that their intelligence has been used to conduct lethal strikes rather than arrests or seizures. The intelligence-sharing pause reportedly began over a month ago, and is said to reflect the UK’s alignment with UN human rights chief Volker Türk’s assessment that the strikes may amount to extrajudicial killings.
The strikes have been spearheaded by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and mark an increasingly aggressive posture under the Trump administration, which has defended the operations as necessary to dismantle drug trafficking networks.
The timing of the revelations may prove diplomatically awkward, as UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is due to meet her U.S. counterpart, Marco Rubio, at the G7 foreign ministers’ summit in Canada on Wednesday. The intelligence rift could cloud discussions intended to reaffirm transatlantic cooperation on global security.
Pressed on the reports, a Number 10 spokesperson declined to confirm or deny the intelligence freeze. “We don’t comment on security or intelligence matters,” the official said, while adding: “The US is our closest partner on defence, security and intelligence. But decisions on this are a matter for the US.”
The spokesperson also emphasized that “issues around whether or not anything is against international law is a matter for a competent international court, not for governments to determine.”
A Pentagon official contacted by CNN offered a similarly terse response: “We don’t talk about intelligence matters.”
Meanwhile, regional tension continues to rise. The deployment of U.S. naval assets, including the USS Gravely destroyer now docked in Trinidad and Tobago, signals Washington’s determination to continue its operations despite mounting international unease.
As questions over the legality and transparency of the strikes persist, the UK’s decision underscores a rare fracture in the Anglo-American intelligence relationship—one that may have wider implications for future joint security efforts in the region.
(Associated Medias) – all rights reserved
L’articolo UK Halts Some Intelligence Sharing with US Over Caribbean Boat Strikes proviene da Associated Medias.
