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Western nations and Latin American neighbors have been
increasingly critical of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro
this year, accusing him of stamping on democracy and human
rights.
Venezuela says foreign governments are trying to encourage a
right-wing coup. On Saturday, it also expelled the Brazilian
envoy.
Venezuela had already withdrawn its ambassador to Canada in
protest over sanctions against the Maduro regime that Canada
imposed in September.
In a statement, Freeland said the ambassador was no longer
welcome in Canada and that Venezuela's charge d'affaires is
persona non grata.
Venezuela's expulsion of the Canadian diplomat over the weekend,
she said, was "typical of the Maduro regime, which has
consistently undermined all efforts to restore democracy and to
help the Venezuelan people.
"Canadians will not stand by as the Government of Venezuela robs
its people of their fundamental democratic and human rights, and
denies them access to basic humanitarian assistance," she said
in the statement.
Canada in September, following a similar move by the United
States, imposed targeted sanctions against 40 Venezuelan senior
officials, including Maduro, to punish them for “anti-democratic
behavior.” The ministers of defense and the interior as well as
several Supreme Court judges were also among those targeted by
the measures.
Canada is a member of the 12-nation Lima Group, which is trying
to address the Venezuelan crisis and which next meets in Chile
in January.
(Reporting by Amran Abocar; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Leslie
Adler)
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