The Canadian Foreign Ministry imposed sanctions on Tuesday on five current and former senior officials of the Venezuelan government, accusing them of undermining democracy following Venezuela’s contested presidential election.

In a statement, the ministry said the sanctions' targets "have been implicated in fraudulently declaring Nicolas Maduro the winner of the July 28, 2024, presidential election."

Among those sanctioned is Caryslia Beatriz Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela’s Supreme Justice Tribunal. The other four individuals include a Supreme Tribunal judge, a member of the National Electoral Council, another judge, and a prosecutor.

"Canada remains deeply concerned by the Maduro regime's destabilizing and anti-democratic activities and the threat they pose to Venezuelans and the region," the Canadian foreign ministry stated.

Venezuela Responds

The Venezuelan government quickly condemned the move, rejecting the sanctions as illegal.

"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela firmly rejects the extortion measures imposed against Venezuelan officials by the Government of Canada—an action that once again confirms its servile role as a slave to the imperial interests of the United States," Caracas said in its statement.

"These illegal actions, directed against legitimate officials of our country, are nothing more than a failed attempt to pressure Venezuela, demonstrating the humiliation and international discredit of the Canadian government, which is reduced to acting as a diminished pawn subordinated to the U.S. government," the statement added.

"While Canada kneels to the orders of Washington, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela remains firm, sovereign, and unbreakable, defending the will of the Venezuelan people and the Rule of Law, without succumbing to external blackmail or shameful interference," the statement further read. 

Election Dispute

The National Electoral Council (CNE) had announced  Maduro as the winner with 52% of votes, but the results had been met with rejection from the opposition, the US the EU, and several Latin American countries, calling on Venezuelan authorities to publish election data.

The opposition contends that its own tally of polling station results showed Gonzalez Urrutia, 74, securing more than two-thirds of the votes. They did not provide evidence before the courts to back their claims.

Maduro's win also sparked nationwide Western-backed riots and violence, which left dozens killed, injured, and detained.

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