CUPW condemns the Government of Canada’s decision to recognize Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela, over the elected president Nicolas Maduro.
It is deeply disturbing that the Canadian government has chosen to support this US-backed coup, which is in direct violation of international law. By following the US agenda in Venezuela, Canada has aligned itself with the right-wing regimes of the Lima Group and Donald Trump, who resemble past US governments who intervened and disrupted democratically elected governments in the Americas and elsewhere in the world. This is unacceptable.
A LEGITIMATE GOVERNMENT
Venezuelans created their Bolivarian Constitution from the ground up and have held several democratic elections. Venezuelans are capable of running their country without interference and harassment from the United States and its allies, including Canada.
Venezuela is currently facing economic difficulties, many a direct result of economic sanctions levied against Venezuela by the United States, in hopes of triggering a change in government.
A USURPATION OF THE POWER
On January 23, 2019, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido swore himself in as interim president. He was quickly (and illegally) recognized by Canada, the US and other US allies. What is happening in Venezuela is a usurpation of the democratic process.
The presidential elections of May 20, 2018 were free, transparent, reliable, secure and in accordance with the law, according to observers from around the world, including a CUPW delegate, who traveled to Venezuela to observe the elections.
President Maduro won with nearly 67.84% of the vote. None of the candidates who participated in the electoral process contested the results. Canada and the US are claiming that the electoral process was not legitimate, despite assurances from numerous observers that it was. What they are really saying is that the latest elections did not garner the outcome they had hoped for.
IN CUPW WE DO NOT SUPPORT US-BACKED COUP D’ÉTATS.
Let us not be fooled. The US support of this coup is about one thing: oil. Venezuela has the world’s largest proven oil reserves and US National Security Advisor John Bolton has publicly stated that the US has a lot at stake in Venezuela’s political crisis, specifically citing the country’s oil and the benefit it could bring to the US.
“It will make a big difference to the United States economically if we could have American oil companies really invest in and produce the oil capabilities in Venezuela,” said Bolton.
WE SUPPORT THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE AND THE POSTAL WORKERS
Meanwhile, Canada continues its relations with horrific regimes like Saudi Arabia. CUPW maintains solidarity with the Venezuelan people and its postal workers. Under the Bolivarian Constitution, Venezuelan government worker rights, health and safety, and rights to health care were vastly improved. We stand with our sisters and brothers in their fight to protect their rights and democracy from foreign governments’ who are intent on dismantling them.
