January 10, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

Today, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that Canada is imposing new sanctions against certain Venezuelan officials under the Special Economic Measures (Venezuela) Regulations.

These sanctions target 14 current and former senior officials of the Venezuelan government who have engaged in activities that have directly or indirectly supported human rights violations in Venezuela. These include ongoing violations and the repression of protests following the illegitimate election of Nicolás Maduro to the Venezuelan presidency in July 2024. These widespread human rights violations were part of a targeted effort by the Maduro regime to silence and intimidate those who demanded transparency and free and fair elections in Venezuela.

Today’s sanctions coincide with measures taken this week by Canada’s allies, including the United States, United Kingdom and European Union, and demonstrate a message of solidarity with the Venezuelan people. They also contribute to ongoing international efforts to uphold human rights in Venezuela and maintain pressure on the Maduro regime.

On July 28, 2024, large numbers of the Venezuelan people voted peacefully for change. Credible evidence provided by official vote tally sheets that were made public after the election and the assessments of independent observers concluded that Edmundo González Urrutia received the most votes and won the election by a significant margin.

In the spirit of respecting the democratic will of the Venezuelan people, Canada formally recognized Edmundo González Urrutia as president-elect of Venezuela yesterday.

Canada calls on the Maduro regime to honour the democratic will of the Venezuelan people and allow for a peaceful transition process that respects human rights. Canada reiterates that a peaceful, negotiated and Venezuelan-led solution is needed to resolve this crisis.

Canada remains steadfast in its commitment to human rights, the rule of law and democracy in Venezuela and across the region.