The Communist Party of Canada condemns the statement issued by Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland in which she states that “the elections in Venezuela are illegitimate and anti-democratic” and that “Canada rejects the Venezuelan electoral process – and its results” and will institute further pressure and interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
Freeland’s statements, on behalf of the Canadian government, are in lock-step with those of the Trump administration in the US, just as they were when the US opened its Embassy in Jerusalem while Israeli snipers shot more than 2,000 unarmed people in Gaza, killing 60 including women, children and infants. Venezuela’s ambassador was expelled from Canada months ago, however Israel’s ambassador shamefully remains.
The Foreign Minister’s outrage is reserved for progressive and popular governments only, and doesn’t extend to the actions of far-right and universally condemned governments like that of Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu. Or governments like Trump’s which threaten to “totally destroy” the Korean Peninsula, or rip up international agreements like the Iran nuclear deal as the prelude to war on Iran. These are war crimes – somehow missed or over-looked by the Foreign Minister and the Canadian government.
In Honduras, where there was blatant fraud in last year’s elections, the Trudeau government decided to recognize the results. In fact, the election process in Venezuela is recognized around the world as one of the most transparent and democratic anywhere. The election results are also widely recognized as accurate, legitimate, and democratic, though clearly not to the liking of Freeland the Liberal government.
Not surprising since this government has gone out of its way to interfere in this election to secure the defeat of the Maduro government. On May 20th, Canada was the only country in the world that prevented Venezuelans living in Canada from voting at Consulates across Canada. So much for democracy.
But the Canadian government’s opposition to the Maduro government goes back to the wildly popular Chavez government and the Bolivarian Revolution which promised – and delivered – healthcare and education to the people, using Venezuelan oil profits to do it. In the last 7 years, mostly under the Maduro government, 2 million homes have been built for poor Venezuelans. The Canadian government could have thrown its weight behind this noble effort to redress 100 years of impoverishment using the country’s abundant energy resources, but instead the Liberals – and Harper before them – sided with Venezuela’s 1% – the filthy rich, and some of the most corrupt political parties and personalities in Latin America.
Freeland’s denunciation of the May 20 election results could have been written last month or last year; since it is not about the election process, it’s about the election result. It’s a result the Canadian government doesn’t like and is working to overturn, together with the Trump administration in the US, the Lima Group representing the interests of Latin America’s 1%, and the opposition forces inside Venezuela – also representing the wealthy 1%. These actions by Canada constitute gross interference in the internal affairs of another country, and on Venezuela’s sovereignty and independence; something which the Canadian government – and the Canadian people – would not tolerate if Canada were on the receiving end.
Once again Venezuela demonstrates the level of control of the oil and gas monopolies in the US and Canada. These forces are willing to use every tool they can gather for their own interests, advocating that states ignore Indigenous rights and climate change, force pipelines through assessments, destabilize states, and start wars.
Over 250 international observers from 60 countries including the former President of Spain Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, and the former President of Ecuador Rafael Correa, have all confirmed that the election was fair and transparent, and are calling on the international community to respect the result. This is the shared conclusion of the delegation of Canadian observers, which included representatives from the United Church of Canada, UNIFOR, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, Common Frontiers, and Rabble.ca.
The Communist Party of Canada demands the Canadian government accept the results the election, respect the decision of Venezuelan voters, and end all efforts to overturn these results, or to overthrow the elected government of Venezuela as advocated by the US President and government.
We call on the Canadian government to immediately rescind all sanctions against Venezuela, and to immediately restore and normalize diplomatic, trade, and international relations between Canada and Venezuela.
Venezuela has a right to self-determination and sovereignty, including the right to elect progressive and popular governments critical of imperialism, and moving in the direction of socialism.
Canada has no right to interfere: that is a crime under international law.
Communist Party of Canada, Central Executive Committee