Canada 'firmly condemns' detention of 2 Venezuelan opposition leaders

Canada "firmly condemns" the detention of two Venezuelanopposition leaders who were taken from their homes in the middle of the night by state security agentson Tuesday, says a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.

Antonio Ledezma and Leopoldo Lopezwere rearrested in what was seen as President Nicolas Maduro's first move against his enemies following a controversial voteon Sundaythat gave his socialist government sweeping powers to reshape the country's political landscape and rewrite its constitution.

Lopez, a 46-year-old hardliner, was being held under house arrest after he was convicted and sentenced to more than a decade in prison on charges that included inciting protesters to violence in 2014. He was released last month to serve the rest of his term under house arrest.

• Venezuela opposition leaders taken from homes overnight
• Canada condemns 'undemocratic' vote but not ready to follow U.S. sanctions

Ledezma, 62, a veteran politician and the former mayor of Caracas, was alsoindicted for plotting to overthrow Maduro's government in 2015 and had been held under house arrest.

Venezuela's Supreme Courton Tuesdaysaidthe two men have been jailed because they violated the terms of their house arrest.

Venezuelan opposition leaders arrests caught on camera

7 years ago

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Former Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma and opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez appear to have been taken from their homes after President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in a contentious vote to expand his powers

In a Facebook post explaining its decision, the court saidthe men were removed from their homes after "official intelligence sources" determined there was an "escape plan" involving both men.

The court added that Lopez isn't permitted to engage in any sort of political activism and Ledezma is prohibited from speaking to media outlets.

'Descent into dictatorship'

"Canada is gravely alarmed by the unlawful detention of Venezuelan opposition leaders Antonio Ledezma and Leopoldo Lopez, the latter with whom I spoke less than two weeks ago," Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a statement Tuesday. "Their detention is further proof of the regime's dictatorial intentions."

Canada calls for their immediate release, as well as the release of all political prisoners, Freeland said.

"The Maduro government's campaign of repression is unacceptable. We urge the Venezuelan government to respect the autonomy and authority of the national assembly and other independent institutions," Freeland said, referring to the newly elected National Constituent Assembly's power to dissolve the opposition-controlled Congress. "The National Assembly is the only legitimately elected legislative body in Venezuela: itmust be respected and its full powers must be restored."

Canada will continue to work with like-minded partners in support of the Venezuelan people, said Adam Austen, Freeland's press secretary.

Conservative MP Peter Kent, the foreign affairs critic for the Official Opposition, urged the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to follow the U.S. lead and "issue meaningful sanctions on the Maduro regime."

"The arbitrary rearrest of Venezuela's opposition leaders is further proof of President Maduro's desperation and illegitimacy," Kent said. "We wholeheartedly condemn the extreme socialist policies which have plunged Venezuela into chaos while inflicting mass starvation on its people."

The U.S. government branded Maduro "a dictator"Mondayand announced that it's freezing his U.S. assets, following the controversial vote for the National Constituent Assembly.

Canada commended the U.S. action but was not ready to follow U.S. sanctions yet, a Canadian official speaking on background saidMonday.

NDP foreign affairs critic Hlne Laverdire said in an emailed statement Monday her party remains deeply concerned about the human cost of the political, economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which has hit ordinary people hard with shortages of food and medicine.