TORONTO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th December, 2020) Ottawa's refusal to recognize the results of the Venezuelan parliamentary elections on Sunday amounts to foreign interference and underscores an overreliance on US foreign policy, three Canadian advocacy groups told Sputnik.
Ahead of Venezuela's parliamentary elections, Canada, in lockstep with the United States, announced that it would not recognize the results of the elections. Earlier in the day, Ottawa's envoy for the Americas floated the idea of further sanctions against the South American nation.
"This statement was expected and is a continuation of Canada's refusal to recognize Venezuelan elections when their allies do not win," Bianca Mugyenyi, Director of the Canadian Foreign Policy Institute (CFPI), said.
Mugyenyi said the Canadian foreign policy dependence on the US stance is egregious, noting that Sunday's election was of particular significance given that "it undermines any last thread of legitimacy [Juan] Guaido may have had as his position on the National Assembly will expire in January."
Rachel Small, organizer of World BEYOND War's Canadian chapter, said in a written statement that Venezuelan people exercised their sovereignty by participating in a peaceful and democratic election in the face of US imperialism and criminal sanctions and condemned both Washington and Ottawa for refusing to support elections after participating in Guaido's failed attempt at orchestrating a coup a year earlier.
In addition to acknowledgement of the parliamentary elections and an end to Ottawa's campaign of foreign interference, an Ontario based anti-war advocacy group urged the government to rebuild relations with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and end Canada's sanctions regime against the South American Nation
"We call on the Trudeau government to reverse its position immediately, recognize the outcome of the recent National Assembly elections in Venezuela, lift the coercive economic measures, and normalize relations with the legitimate government of President Maduro," Ken Stone, Treasurer of the Hamilton Coalition to Stop The War said, noting the multi-million Dollar bill Canadian taxpayers foot to support regime change efforts.
Stone also stressed the need for independent Canadian foreign policy from the NATO alliance.
Venezuela's Simon Bolivar Great Patriotic Pole, the alliance of the country's socialist parties including the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) is leading the elections with 67.6 percent of the vote after 82 percent of the votes have been counted, according to the preliminary results published by the National Electoral Council.
Elections to the National Assembly, Venezuela's unicameral parliament, took place on Sunday, with 107 political forces running for seats. Guaido's opposition bloc refused to participate in the vote, among over 20 other parties.
Officials in Moscow have indicated that they are satisfied with the organization and conduct of the election and the belief is that the renewed parliament of Venezuela will become a platform for dialogue of all political forces.
The United Nations has said it will not take a position on the legitimacy of Venezuela's parliamentary election but will continue encouraging political dialogue.
