Canada says it does not welcome Venezuelan ambassador

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced on December 25 that she would expel a Venezuelan diplomat and ban the country's ambassador from returning to Canada.

Foreign Minister Freeland's statement comes two days after Venezuela expelled Canada's charge d'affaires for criticizing the country's human rights record.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. Photo: AP

In her statement, Canadian Foreign Minister Freeland said the Venezuelan Ambassador is not welcome in Canada and the country's Charge d'Affaires is persona non grata.

In recent times, Western countries and Venezuela's neighbors in Latin America have continuously criticized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with accusations of suppressing democracy and human rights.

In response to these accusations, Venezuela claimed that the governments of these countries were trying to incite a right-wing coup. Venezuela also expelled the Brazilian ambassador to the country on December 23.

Venezuela has withdrawn its ambassador to Canada to protest sanctions against President Maduro's government that Canada has imposed since September 2017./.

According to VOV