Canada Temporarily Suspends Foreign Operations In Venezuela

Caracas: Canada has announced the ‘temporary’ suspension of its diplomatic operations in Venezuela, and said it would evaluate the status of diplomats appointed by President Nicolas Maduro’s government to Ottawa. The Canadian Foreign Minister, Chrystia Freeland, said in a statement released on Sunday by the Embassy of Canada in Caracas that the measure would take immediate effect immediately since the visas of Canadian diplomats ‘will expire’ at the end of June 2018, reports Efe news.

“As Venezuela slides deeper into dictatorship, and as Venezuelans continue to suffer at the hands of the illegitimate Maduro regime, the regime has taken steps to limit the ability of foreign embassies to function”, Freeland said. Canada also said in the statement that it will continue “to stand up for the rights of the Venezuelan people and for a full return to democracy” in the South American country. It added that consular assistance for Canadians in Venezuela will be provided at the Embassy of Canada in Bogota. (IANS)

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