Sun | May 12, 2024

Trudeau to welcome Venezuela opposition leader

Published:Monday | January 27, 2020 | 12:21 AM
The leader of Venezuela’s political opposition, Juan Guaidó, laughs after a meeting at the Madrid regional government building during a visit to Madrid, Spain, on Saturday.
The Associated Press
The leader of Venezuela’s political opposition, Juan Guaidó, laughs after a meeting at the Madrid regional government building during a visit to Madrid, Spain, on Saturday.

TORONTO (AP):

Venezuela opposition leader Juan Guaidó will visit Canada today as part of an international tour aimed at ­bolstering support for his challenge to socialist leader Nicolás Maduro.

The office of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that he and senior Cabinet ministers would meet with Guaidó, whose trip defied a travel ban imposed by Venezuela’s pro-Maduro Supreme Court.

”I commend interim President Guaidó for the courage and leadership he has shown in his efforts to return democracy to Venezuela, and I offer Canada’s continued support,” Trudeau said in a statement.

Canada is one of more than 50 nations that recognised Guaidó – head of the South American nation’s congress – as Venezuela’s interim president last year on the grounds that Maduro’s re-election was illegitimate.

Canada has also imposed sanctions against officials of Maduro’s government and has joined five other nations in referring Maduro to the International Criminal Court.

Despite the international backing for Guaidó, Maduro retains control over all practical aspects of government in Venezuela.

Guadó earlier made stops in London, Paris, Madrid, and the Davos Economic Forum.