Foreign Affairs Minister to attend Lima Group meeting on Venezuela
News release
February 22, 2019 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will attend the 11th ministerial meeting of the Lima Group about the crisis in Venezuela, which will be held in Bogotá, Colombia, on Monday, February 25, 2019. This follows the successful meeting of the Lima Group held in Ottawa, Ontario on February 4, 2019.
This will be the first meeting to include representatives of Venezuela’s interim government, led by Interim President Juan Guaidó, as full participants of the Lima Group. They will join representatives from the other Lima Group countries to discuss the political and economic situation and the worsening humanitarian crisis that is gripping Venezuela. With growing numbers of Venezuelans in desperate need of help and scores fleeing the country, the meeting will focus on the need for full and unhindered humanitarian access.
Canada stands in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and reaffirms their right to peace, democracy, and human rights.
Quotes
“For the past two years, the world has watched with great concern as Venezuela, under Nicolás Maduro’s rule, has descended into chaos. Throughout all of this, the international community has been vocal in standing up for the rights of Venezuelans. Monday’s meeting of the Lima Group will build on the important work that Canada is doing with its partners in the Lima Group to support the people of Venezuela in their fight for freedom and democracy.”
– Honourable Chrystia Freeland, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs
Quick facts
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Over 3 million Venezuelans have been forced to flee their homes since 2015 in search of food, health care and other basic services.
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The Lima Group was established on August 8, 2017, in Lima, Peru, to coordinate participating countries’ efforts to apply international pressure on Venezuela.
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The last meeting of the Lima Group, held in Ottawa, Ontario on February 4, 2019, was attended by representatives from member countries Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Saint Lucia. Representatives from Ecuador, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as from European Union, participated as invited guests.
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The Lima Group is committed to supporting the efforts of the Venezuelan people to restore constitutional democracy in their country.
Associated links
Contacts
Adam Austen
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adam.Austen@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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