The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:
"Canada condemns the human rights violations, as well as the acts of violence that are occurring following the presidential elections and calls for the immediate release of the arbitrarily arrested, imprisoned or detained individuals. Citizens cannot be target of repression or reprisal for exercising their democratic rights.
"The people of Venezuela have demonstrated their commitment to the restoration of democracy by voting peacefully and in large numbers on July 28, 2024. We commend Venezuelans for actively participating in the election process, including as voters, polling staff, party witnesses and citizen observers. We deeply regret that Venezuelan authorities did not respect this impressive civic engagement by failing to share the proof of the results.
"The electoral data collected by citizen witnesses and independent international observers provides credible evidence that the results claimed by Maduro authorities of this election don't reflect the will of the Venezuelan people. We reiterate our call on the Venezuelan authorities to ensure transparency and publish detailed results for all polling stations.
"A peaceful, negotiated and Venezuelan-led solution is needed to resolve this crisis. It is imperative all parties begin negotiations to ensure that the democratic will of the people of Venezuela is respected and a peaceful process of transition is established. We are prepared to work with partners in the region to support this dialogue. Canada has stood, and will continue to stand, by the people of Venezuela in these challenging times."
