BBC Bans Reporters From Calling US Plan to Capture Maduro a 'Kidnapping'

The BBC has instructed its editors and reporters not to use the term "kidnapping" to describe alleged US actions against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Internal guidance from the British broadcaster told staff to avoid the word when reporting on US plans. The order follows a report by The Washington Post that the US government had previously developed a secret plan to capture Maduro. The BBC's editorial policy states that the word "kidnap" should only be used for illegal abductions by non-state actors, like criminal or militant groups. Using it for the actions of a government could imply bias, the policy suggests. This directive highlights the careful language choices major news organizations make in geopolitics. The BBC aims for neutral wording, even when describing aggressive covert plans between adversarial states. The US has long sought Maduro's removal, imposing severe sanctions and recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela's legitimate president in 2019. Maduro's government has frequently accused the US of plotting to overthrow it.