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Canada says it supports Venezuela-led transition process that respects the people
Canada cautiously welcomes Nicolás Maduro's capture by U.S. forces, urging respect for international law and supporting Venezuelan democracy.
The Canadian government has reacted with caution to the capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro by American Special Forces personnel who subsequently flew him to New York to face federal charges.
In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government “welcomes the opportunity for freedom, democracy, peace, and prosperity for the Venezuelan people.”
“Canada has long supported a peaceful, negotiated, and Venezuelan-led transition process that respects the democratic will of the Venezuelan people,” he noted.
However, he said Canada called “on all parties to respect international law,” adding, “We stand by the Venezuelan people’s sovereign right to decide and build their own future in a peaceful and democratic society. Canada attaches great importance to resolution of crises through multilateral engagement and is in close contact with international partners about ongoing developments.”
Canada has not recognised the Maduro regime since 2018, and Carney described it as “illegitimate”.
He said, “One of the first actions taken by Canada’s new government in March 2025 was to impose additional sanctions on Nicolás Maduro’s brutally oppressive and criminal regime — unequivocally condemning his grave breaches of international peace and security, gross and systematic human rights violations, and corruption.”
“In keeping with our long-standing commitment to uphold the rule of law and to democracy, Canada stands by the people of Venezuela and their desire to live in a peaceful and democratic society. Canada also calls on all parties to exercise restraint and uphold international law,” Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand said in a statement. She pointed out that Canada had closed its embassy in Venezuela in 2019.
“Canada is engaging with its international partners and monitoring developments closely,” she added.
However, the reaction from opposition leader Pierre Poilievre was unequivocally in favour of the action order by US President Donald Trump. The Conservative Party leader posted, “Congratulations to President Trump on successfully arresting narco-terrorist and socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, who should live out his days in prison.” Poilievre’s wife Anaida was born in Venezuela.
Poilievre also said, “The legitimate winner of the most recent Venezuelan elections, Edmundo González, should take office along with the courageous hero and voice of the Venezuelan people, María Corina Machado.” González was the opposition candidate running against Maduro in the 2024 Presidential election and Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her anti-regime activism.
On the other send of the spectrum, New Democratic Party or NDP’s interim leader Don Davies described events on Sunday as “clearly illegal, hypocritical and dangerous.”
“The US attack on Venezuela is neither an act of self defence nor does it have UN Security Council authorization. It is therefore totally illegal and a breach of the UN covenants the US has agreed to uphold as a Member State,” he asserted.
