Supporting Guaido is hypocritical

The hypocrisy of Canada’s claim to recognize Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela out of concern for human rights and democracy is manifest.

There is nothing democratic in a foreign country recognizing an individual as president who has literally declared himself such and was never elected to that office.

Guaido’s party Popular Will only holds 14 of 167 seats in the National Assembly. Few Venezuelans had even heard of him until his declaration.

Why have Trump and Canada chosen to intervene in Venezuela when they at least tacitly support the repressive dictatorships with appalling human rights records in Saudi Arabia and Egypt? The answer is that Venezuela represents a challenge to U.S. hegemony in the region, has nationalized its oil industry, and has a socialist government.

The history of U.S. intervention in Latin America, including efforts to effect regime change in Venezuela, is long and bloody.

The Liberal government may in private decry Trump as a charlatan and ogre but one would be mistaken to think this contempt would result in meaningful opposition to the amoral and self-serving foreign policy of the U.S.

Canada’s stance shows it values strategic and economic interests over human rights and democracy.

Julian Schulz, Edmonton