NDP shifts position on ‘sensitive’ Venezuela issue, despite differences inside party

Laverdiere’s comments mark a major shift in tone from leader Jagmeet Singh’s statement and from alarmed social media posts accusing Canada of supporting a ‘coup’

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks outside the House of Commons on May 3, 2018.Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press
Marie-Danielle Smith
February 6, 2019
10:48 AM EST

Last Updated
February 6, 2019
10:49 AM EST

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Moody’s downgrades Ontario’s credit rating, citing deficit, revenue cuts under Doug Ford
Federal Auditor General Michael Ferguson dies
Randall Denley: So-called ‘super agency’ not a magic cure for Ontario’s health-care woes
Majority of Canadians think Trudeau is doing bad job handling tense relations with China: poll
Ontario offers alternate municipal oath of office for Indigenous people
OTTAWA — In the midst of public pressure, the federal NDP offered its clearest position yet on the evolving situation in Venezuela Tuesday, distancing itself from Canadian labour groups who appear sympathetic to authoritarian president Nicolas Maduro.

Foreign affairs critic Helene Laverdiere told the National Post that she speaks for her party when she says she’s “comfortable” with Canada recognizing a new, interim president in Juan Guaido. But it has proved a murky issue for the NDP to navigate.

With support from Canada, the United States and a long list of European and Latin American countries, Guaido is trying to trigger safeguards in the Venezuelan constitution that allow for a challenge of illegitimate leadership, so new elections can take place. Maduro’s rule had seen a devolving humanitarian crisis, the mass displacement of people, rampant hyper-inflation and widespread persecution of his political opposition. With the situation yet unresolved, Canada updated its travel advisories Tuesday to urge Canadians to “avoid non-essential travel” to Venezuela.

While Canada and the U.S. recognized Guaido almost immediately after he declared his intentions publicly, the European Union gave Maduro just over a week to call new elections, and when he didn’t, it lent its support to Guaido. That’s the approach Laverdiere said Canada should’ve taken. “I think they should have aligned themselves with the Europeans to first put pressure on Maduro and then recognize Guaido when Maduro refused to hold presidential elections,” she said.

Laverdiere’s comments mark a major shift in tone from leader Jagmeet Singh’s more-equivocal statement, and from alarmed social media posts by an MP and several election candidates accusing Canada of supporting a “coup.” She admitted this is “always a sensitive issue” within the party.

In another example of internal tension on the issue, two sources told the Post an NDP Parliament Hill staffer had planned to join a union and ecumenical delegation that travelled to Venezuela to observe its presidential election last year. The group, which received funding from several Canadian unions, returned with a favourable review of a “free and fair” democratic process, even though scores of Maduro’s political opponents had been imprisoned or barred from running in the election. The opposition had urged international groups to stay away, so as not to legitimize the proceedings.