Ottawa, ON - The Hon. Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, released the following statement, calling on the Liberal Government to not recognize the re-election of the Maduro regime in Venezuela:

“Yesterday, the people of Venezuela voted to free their country from socialist oppression. Yet the communist Venezuelan dictator, Nicolás Maduro, has refused to accept the will of the people and manufactured a fake result that will keep his tyrannical regime in power.

"This is evident from numerous reports of serious electoral irregularities in the counting of votes. Maduro filled Venezuela's National Electoral Council with loyalists of his regime and forced opposition scrutineers to leave polling stations. Worse still, Maduro blocked the primary opposition leader from being on the ballot while persecuting and detaining her supporters.  

“Under the Maduro regime, thousands of Venezuelans have been murdered in extrajudicial executions, freedom and free speech have been crushed, and millions have had to flee their homeland as a result of the dire economic situation that Maduro’s regime has created. Now, Maduro is clinging on to power unlawfully, even after the Venezuelan people banded together in historic numbers to restore freedom and democracy.

“Conservatives are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Minister of Foreign Affairs to not recognize the results of Sunday’s sham election and demand that the Maduro Regime releases a full counting of votes and access to voting records at polling stations. Canada should only recognize a democratic vote if it is truly free and fair.

“The Government of Canada must do everything in its power to support the people of Venezuela as they fight for freedom and real democracy in their country."