Canadian Foreign Minister meets with Juan Guaidó and expressed support for a “peaceful return to democracy” in Venezuela

Canada on Tuesday reiterated its support for the interim government of Juan Guaidó and stressed the need for a “peaceful return” to democracy in Venezuela.

“Canada is committed to strengthening democracy in our hemisphere and around the world,” noted Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau.

The official said on his social networks that he had had a conversation on Tuesday with the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, to whom he also communicated “Canada’s solidarity with the Venezuelan people in their fight against the COVID pandemic- 19 ”.

This Tuesday, Guaidó also had an interview with the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, as reported by the agency. The Associated Press through his correspondent for Venezuela, Joshua Goodman, who cited two Venezuelan sources. The content of the conversation did not appear immediately.

Hours earlier, Blinken had contacted his Norwegian counterpart, a country that has mediated between the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro and the Venezuelan opposition in recent years.

This was the first formal communication between Guaidó and Blinken, who had previously argued that the Joe Biden administration would continue to recognize him as the legitimate president of Venezuela to the detriment of Nicolás Maduro, whom he described as a “brutal dictator. “.

During the weekend, White House official says government “is in no rush” to lift sanctions on dictatorshipIt would only be considered if “the regime takes confidence-building measures which demonstrate that it is ready and willing to engage in genuine talks with the opposition”.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not specify what steps Maduro should take, but said he could not be allowed to use the negotiations as a “delaying tactic” to consolidate power and divide the opposition, as it has been. accused. to do in the past.

In the same vein, the senior advisor of the National Security Council of the White House, Juan González, spoke. In February, the official said that “Maduro used the dialogue to delay and imprison members of the opposition.”

At a general level, he said the approach will be “a two-party policy” and that they also plan to “restore a multilateral coalition in favor of a democratic solution to the current crisis”. He also explained that he was seeking to “redouble humanitarian efforts not only inside the country”, but also in other countries such as Colombia which have been strongly affected by the migration crisis generated by the regime.

These communications between Guaidó and the chiefs of diplomacy of Canada and the United States took place on the same day as European Union (EU) Ambassador to Caracas Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa says goodbye to Venezuela, three days after the expiration of the deadline given by the Chavist regime to leave the country and name his persona non grata in response to the sanctions imposed by the community bloc against 19 Chavist officials.

Brilhante made a post on his Twitter account in which he said he loved Venezuela and thanked his citizens for the love received: “A huge thank you to all Venezuelans for their love, gratitude and affection. I carry you all in so many beautiful memories. My heart stays here. I love you, Venezuela ”.

The expulsion of Brilhante Pedrosa was ordered on February 24 by Maduro. At first, he gave him 72 hours to leave Venezuela, which was then extended until today, at the diplomat’s request due to the lack of flights.

At the opposite extreme was the opposition sector clustered around Guaidó, who had already expressed his solidarity with Brilhante. “We stand in solidarity with the EU Ambassador in Caracas, who has always shown his support (in) human rights and democracy in Venezuela on behalf of Europe”she said on Twitter, the same day the diplomat’s expulsion was ordered.

Leopoldo López, from his exile in Spain, assured on Tuesday that “the dictatorship” of Maduro “not only forces Venezuelans to leave the country, but also those who, whatever their nationality, care about well-being and freedom ”in the country.

“Thank you Ambassador. We are sure that her work for the good of Venezuelans will follow her wherever she goes. “Lopez said in a post in which he retweeted the diplomat’s farewell.

With information from AP and EFE

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