Venezuela: Canadian Sanctions Violate 'International Law'

Venezuela has condemned the latest round of sanctions imposed by the Canadian government against several members of the Bolivarian government, calling them a “blatant violation of the most fundamental rules of International Law.”

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A statement issued by the Venezuelan foreign ministry said that the “pro-imperialist behavior” of the Canadian government had pushed it to “attack Venezuela in many ways in the last weeks, showing off an evident and laughable superiority complex, in their continuous attempt to not acknowledge the democratic will of the Venezuelan people.”

“Venezuela energetically rejects the new attempt from the Government of Canada to impose unilateral coercive measures against Venezuelan citizens, in blatant violation of the most fundamental rules of the Public International Law,” reads the statement.

Venezuela says with the sanctions, Canada has continued “their foreign policy of humiliating subordination to the racist and supremacist administration of Donald Trump.”

“Facts suggest that this servile policy of the Canadian authorities is the result of that government's urgency to avoid losing benefits and preferences in the trade agreements with the United States,” the statement added.

Canada announced Monday it would impose sanctions on 14 persons close to the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, including his wife and member of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), Cilia Adela Flores, “in response to the illegitimate and anti-democratic presidential elections” carried out on May 20.

The extraordinary economic measures regulations “impose asset freezes and dealings prohibitions on listed persons by prohibiting persons in Canada and Canadians outside of Canada from dealing in any property of these individuals or providing financial or related services to them.”

Besides the first lady, the affected officials include Tania Valentina Diaz Gonzalez, Fidel Ernesto Vasquez Iriarte, Carolys Helena Perez Gonzalez, Erika Del Valle Farias Peña, Ramon Dario Vivas Velasco, Christian Tyrone Zerpa, Fanny Beatriz Marquez Cordero, Malaquias Gil Rodriguez, Indira Maira Alfonzo Izaguirre, Jhannett Maria Madriz Sotillo, Carlos Enrique Quintero Cuevas, Xavier Antonio Moreno Reyes And Carlos Alberto Rotondaro Cova.

“These sanctions send a clear message that the Maduro regime’s anti-democratic behavior has consequences,” said Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. “Today’s announcement is evidence of our commitment to defending democracy and human rights around the world and our rejection of Venezuela’s fraudulent presidential elections. Canada is as determined as ever to support the people of Venezuela as they seek a more peaceful, democratic and prosperous future.”

The announcement was made a day after the Organization of American States (OAS) declared that the Venezuelan government had committed “crimes against humanity,” following the agenda led by the United States economic and political interest in the region.

Some factions of the Venezuelan opposition boycotted the recent presidential election stating that they didn't consider them fair or transparent despite having reached an agreement with the Bolivarian government before suddenly rejecting it.

The European Parliament, the U.S., and the Lima Group, a group of right-wing governments with Latin America and the Caribbean, also announced sanctions following Venezuela's elections.