Thank you so much for your questions.
Regarding the first question, yes, as I said in my remarks, it is important that Canada implement individual sanctions against those in Venezuela who are responsible for committing crimes against humanity, violating human rights and being involved in drug trafficking, illegal mining and human trafficking, and also those who are responsible for corruption and money laundering. Venezuela, according to Transparency International, is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
As I also said in my remarks, at least 21% of the economy in Venezuela today is driven by illicit activities, which is really striking when you consider that Venezuela is the country with the largest proven oil reserves in the world. I have to say that Venezuela is not producing oil, not because of the sanctions, but because of corruption. Your question is very accurate. Venezuela used to produce 3.2 million barrels of oil a day when Chávez came to power 25 years ago. When sanctions were implemented five years ago, Venezuela was already producing only one million barrels of oil a day, so the oil company was already in shatters. By the way, those sanctions were lifted a year ago, with the compromise from the regime to recognize the results of the presidential election. But you see what is going on. They have not recognized it yet, even though we have proven that we won.
According to different scholars, it is estimated that in Venezuela during these 25 years, at least $300 billion was stolen. Obviously, that scheme of corruption has involved important members of the judicial system, including judges and someone who has a very important role now, Attorney General Tarek William Saab, the one who is also ordering illegal detentions on a daily basis.
If I may—I'm sorry if this answer is taking longer—we need to understand that corruption in Venezuela is not as you might see it in other parts, because Venezuela is now run a lot on illicit activities. I would like to, in this case, raise awareness of the drug trafficking that is coming from Venezuela. A lot of the cocaine that is produced in Colombia, Bolivia and Peru goes through Venezuela and ends up in the Caribbean or Europe.
This situation—the illicit activities, the violations of human rights, the crimes against humanity, the brutal persecutions against the population—has created the largest migration and refugee crisis in the world right now. Eight million people have fled Venezuela, which is more people than have fled Ukraine and Syria.
Thank you.