The uncomfortable moment when a referent of the British left tried to defend the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro

The economic, political and social crisis that is shaking the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, he also embarrbaded politicians and intellectuals known for their sympathy for Chavez.

This was the case former mayor of London Ken Livingstone, popularly nicknamed "Red Ken" (Ken Red) for his left-wing ideology, who during an interview in the BBC with reporter Andrew Neil has tried to blame the United States for the collapse of the Venezuelan economy.

"The United States has imposed sanctions that cost the oil company 11 billion pounds a year"explained Livingstone at the beginning of the counterpoint.

Without giving much importance to the issue, the Labor leader acknowledged that "I did not remember anymore" when they started.

"I can tell you: they were taxed this week"Assura Neil. And he pointed out that, until a few days ago, the United States was the main importer of Venezuelan oil, some 600,000 barrels a day.

The former mayor has turned a deaf ear to his host's arguments and reiterated that "There were economic sanctions against Venezuela as against Cuba, Nicaragua and Iran". In addition, he added that these are illegal "under international law".

Without losing patience, the driver pointed out that the economy of the Caribbean countries has contracted by 50% in the last five years and he again asked what sanctions the United States would have been responsible for the economic disaster.

"I do not know, I'm only a retiree"said Livingstone, trying to leave with a little humor of the difficult situation in which he found himself.

But he did not succeed. "No, it's important because as we speak, Venezuelan children are starving"Neil said in a less friendly tone.

Livingstone was again stuck and acknowledged that he only knew the sanctions because it was what the Venezuelan ambbadador in London had told him.

Asked again about the reasons for the crisis, he insisted that they were due to the fall in international oil prices and to the "American sanctions."

"There was not a single trade sanction against Venezuela, they could export or import anything except weapons." There were no restrictions at the same time, they got 80 billions of dollars in loans from China and Russia, so why has the economy collapsed? " "the driver insisted.

Visibly uncomfortable, Livingstone explained: "When the Venezuelan ambbadador to London told me that there were sanctions, I believe him."

"But he can not mention any American sanctions before this week"concluded the pilot of the program.

It should be noted that, like Livingstone, the current leader of the British Labor Party, Jeremy Corbyn, avoided publicly condemning Nicolás Maduro's regime.