Canada has announced that it is temporarily shutting its embassy
in Venezuela, blaming President Nicolas Maduro for refusing to accredit
diplomats critical of his regime.
At the same time, Ottawa is reviewing the status of Maduro envoys to Canada.
Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a
statement that “the regime has taken steps to limit the ability of
foreign embassies to function in Venezuela, particularly those
advocating for the restoration of democracy” there.
In January Canada, along with the United
States and major Latin American powers, was among the first to recognize
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido’s claim to be acting
president, beginning a months-long power struggle between him and
Maduro.
Soon, Canadian diplomats in Venezuela “will no
longer be in a position to obtain diplomatic accreditation under the
Maduro regime, and their visas will expire,” Freeland said.
“Therefore, we are left with no choice but to
temporarily suspend our operations at the Embassy of Canada to
Venezuela, effective immediately.”
More than 50 countries now recognize Guaido
rather than leftist firebrand Maduro, who has presided over a crumbling
economy and was re-elected in a ballot widely regarded as a sham.
Freeland also said Canada is “evaluating the status of Venezuelan diplomats appointed by the Maduro regime to Canada.”
