Venezuela ~ action by the USA ~ a brief note

Updated 8 January 2025

After apparent months of planning, the USA acted unilaterally to arrest Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife. They have since appeared in a Manhattan court and have entered not guilty pleas to a number of charges including drug trafficking. 

Those events led to the UK Home Secretary (Yvette Cooper MP) making a statement in the House of Commons. Cooper noted that successive UK governments have refused to recognise the government of Venezuela and she stated -

Rights of prisoners - Fuad Awale

Fuad Awale (pictured) was convicted in January 2013 of the execution-style shooting of two teenagers and received a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years. Subsequently, he was sentenced to a further six years for threatening to kill a prison officer.

Media reports (e.g. HERE) around the Christmas period commented - 'Double murderer wins compensation payout over human rights breaches in prison.' 

To find out the details it is necessary to look at the actual High Court decision - actually back in 2024.

The King (on the application of Fuad Awale) v Secretary of State for Justice [2024] EWHC 2322 (Admin).

Awale described himself