Wednesday briefing: What Europe’s silence over Venezuela says about its fear of Trump

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Martin BelamJanuary 7, 2026 at 07:45 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

European leaders are hesitant to condemn the US's seizure of Nicolás Maduro from Caracas, fearing repercussions from the White House despite concerns about international law. This silence highlights a struggle to balance removing an authoritarian leader with upholding legal principles. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is exploring options, including military action, to acquire Greenland. In the UK, government officials are urged to reconnect with voters emotionally, acknowledging a difficult political battle. Elsewhere, a Swiss ski resort fire that killed 40 was found to have occurred in a bar uninspected for five years, and in Spain, scammers are using AI-generated videos of Princess Leonor to defraud social media users. US Democratic senators have also criticized the Trump administration for shifting law enforcement resources from combating child exploitation to immigration enforcement.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Spain 30% Crans-Montana ×230% Donald Trump 40% Ed Davey 50% UK 50% Keir Starmer ×250% Greenland ×250% Kemi Badenoch 60% New York 60% Caracas ×270% United States ×280% Nicolás Maduro (Maduro) 90%

Keywords

venezuela 90% us intervention 80% international law 70% donald trump 70% european leaders 60% child exploitation 50% human trafficking 50% uk politics 50% artificial intelligence 40%