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

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 consul

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 wer

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 thei

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

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, whic

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

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

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

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.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think he's certainly very keen on running again, health permitting, I guess.