FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ottawa, ON – On Tuesday, May 31st, the Hon. Michael Chong, Conservative Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Randy Hoback, Conservative Shadow Minister for International Trade and Supply Chain Resistance, held a meeting with H.E. Orlando José Viera Blanco, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and members of Women for Democracy in Venezuela, including Isadora Zubillaga, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mariela Magallanes, Deputy to Venezuela’s 2015 National Assembly, and Cristina Burelli, Executive Director of the V5Initiative, about Canada-Venezuela relations.
MP Chong highlighted several items with the Ambassador and Women for Democracy, including:
- Conservatives are deeply concerned about the Venezuelan people and the unfolding humanitarian crisis, Conservatives’ belief in promoting democracy and human rights in Venezuela and working toward a Venezuelan-led solution to the political crisis.
- Conservatives’ belief in promoting democracy and human rights in Venezuela and working toward a Venezuelan-led solution to the political crisis.
The Ambassador, members of Women for Democracy in Venezuela, MP Hoback, and MP Chong discussed Canada’s engagement with and promoting human rights and democracy in Venezuela as well as the importance of women’s involvement in building democracy and stability in Venezuela. They discussed their concerns of the over 6 million Venezuelans residing outside of Venezuela and the current situation of mining for gold and minerals in Venezuela. The Ambassador and members of Women for Democracy in Venezuela highlighted their desire to continue negotiations with the Maduro regime. They agreed to continue the dialogue on Canada-Venezuela relations.
-30-