Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We think that the government hasn't done enough to improve security. I travel a great deal in the region and I've noted that the security of citizens is a priority for all governments in the region of Central America and the Caribbean. I don't understand why, but I think that the Government of Venezuela hasn't done enough to tackle this problem.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  On the consular side, of course, we provide consular services. Venezuela broke diplomatic ties with Israel in 2009 over the Israeli military action against Hamas in the Gaza strip. After that, Israel asked Canada to represent their interests in Venezuela, which are chiefly consular.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think the record is still mixed. One point I do recall is that there was an effort at one time to restrict international funding to those NGOs. I believe they have now backed off after international pressures from Canada and others who raised concerns. It was a pattern we were seeing in a number of the countries of the ALBA group where they were essentially trying to restrict international assistance to some of these NGOs that don't have a lot of means to do their work.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Well, it's part of a process of politicization of the judiciary, as I was mentioning in regard to your other question, and I think political loyalties weigh more in the balance than professionalism does. Therefore, you begin to see senior judges who may have risen because of their loyalties to the leader rather than their competence.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I can't say 100%, sir, if we undertook a formal démarche, but we certainly would have expressed our views in Caracas through our ambassador. As I mentioned, we also have very limited access, so we can make public comment, but we continue to have difficulties engaging with senior levels of that government even if we want to.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Understood.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We will undertake to review these, obviously, with the Government of Venezuela, but also in the context of the Human Rights Council itself. Our concern continues to be, as you mentioned, sir, the restrictions on press, the harassment of journalists, and situations like that, which are completely inconsistent with the Inter-American Democratic Charter and the United Nations.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The last regime. Do you mean, sir, in terms of...?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  No, I can't really say. I'm sure the committee could call other witnesses who could comment on that more specifically. We continue to monitor that, and we're very troubled by this element of his international relations.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I suppose if you looked at some of the key economic socio-indicators, you'd have to say things are better in that respect. I'm looking at the FAO numbers, for example. That's fine. That would be expected I think in an economy that has such a tremendous flow of revenues generated by oil.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  That's true.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, it is.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  In terms of timing, I'd want to look at the numbers carefully, but it's certainly in effect today. October 7 is the election, so we could do the math, but yes, it should run into the electoral period this October.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  No, I think there's a process still ongoing, but obviously what this does, we believe, is it distorts again the proper democratic process in the country and it distorts the role of the assembly. It's essentially giving far more authority to the presidency than we think is normal in an open western society in our region.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We have the President of Venezuela in Cuba this week, of course, for treatment in terms of the cancer situation he's facing, so I can't prejudge what will transpire in the next few days or weeks.