Foreign Affairs Minister to attend meeting of Lima Group on Venezuela

News Release

February 12, 2018 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

Canada continues to play a leadership role in regional efforts to address the crisis in Venezuela.

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will attend a meeting of the Lima Group in Lima, Peru, on February 13, 2018.

Since the last meeting of the Lima Group in Santiago, Chile, on January 23, 2018, talks between the Maduro regime and members of the opposition have collapsed. The regime has unilaterally announced that presidential elections will be held on April 22, 2018, while barring the opposition coalition from participating in the elections. Meanwhile, the suffering of the Venezuelan people continues to intensify as shortages of food and medicine worsen.

Minister Freeland and other Lima Group foreign ministers will discuss next steps to support the Venezuelan people as they fight for democracy. Ministers will also urge the Maduro regime to restore constitutional order and ensure respect for human rights.

Quotes

“Recent developments point to an upcoming presidential election that will not be free and fair, further entrenching a dictatorial regime. With my fellow Lima Group foreign ministers, we will work on a united response to this latest move by the Maduro regime that deprives the Venezuelan people of their democratic rights. This further push toward authoritarianism only reinforces our resolve to advocate on behalf of all Venezuelans. Canadians will not stand by as the Government of Venezuela robs its people of their fundamental democratic and human rights and denies them access to basic humanitarian assistance.”

- Hon. Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick Facts

  • The Lima Group was established on August 8, 2017, to coordinate participating countries’ efforts and apply international pressure on Venezuela. Meetings of the group have been regularly attended by Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia.

  • Canada hosted the third ministerial meeting of the Lima Group in Toronto, Ontario, on October 26, 2017. The group discussed options to broaden cooperation with other international partners, maintain pressure on the Maduro regime and translate the group’s unwavering support for the Venezuelan people into further concrete actions. For Canada, this has involved two rounds of sanctions imposed on the Maduro regime.

  • The Lima Group is committed to closely monitoring events in Venezuela and applying pressure on Venezuela’s government until the full restoration of democracy in the country is achieved.

Associated Links

Contacts

Adam Austen
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adam.Austen@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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