Canada to Close Its Embassy in Venezuela After Losing Visas

(Bloomberg) -- Canada will immediately pull its diplomats from Venezuela and close one of the few embassies still weathering the unsettled challenge to the nation’s autocratic president, Nicolas Maduro.

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, released a statement saying the Maduro government refused to extend the visas of embassy officials. Canada, one of more than 50 nations that’s accused Maduro of stealing last year’s elections, recognizes National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as interim president until new elections are held.

The U.S. closed its embassy in March. Most others are either closed or operating with bare-bones staffing.

Canada “will continue to stand up for the rights of the Venezuelan people and for a full return to democracy in Venezuela,” Freeland said.

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