FILE PHOTO: A Venezuelan Flag waves on the day a session is held at the National Assembly, in Caracas, Venezuela November 28, 2024. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo
OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada imposed sanctions on five current or former senior officials of the Venezuelan government on Tuesday, saying the individuals undermined democracy, in a move rejected by Caracas, which called the measure "illegal."
The Canadian foreign ministry said in a statement the sanctions targets "have been implicated in fraudulently declaring Nicolas Maduro the winner of the July 28, 2024, presidential election."
Those targeted include Caryslia Beatriz Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela's top court, the Supreme Justice Tribunal.
"These illegal actions, directed against legitimate officials of our country, are no more than a failed attempt to pressure Venezuela," the Venezuelan government said in a statement, adding that the action showed Canada was "a slave to the imperial interests of the United States."
The court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
President Maduro and his government have always rejected sanctions by the United States and others, saying they are illegitimate measures that amount to an "economic war" designed to cripple Venezuela. Maduro and his allies have cheered what they say is the country's resilience despite the measures, though they have historically blamed some economic hardships and shortages on sanctions.
The Supreme Justice Tribunal's justices - including Rodriguez - and electoral authorities have said Maduro won a third term in the contested July presidential election.
Authorities have not released ballot box-level tallies of votes, despite international requests to do so, and have rejected a September United Nations report criticizing repression of the opposition.
The opposition has released ballot box-level tallies it says show a resounding victory for its erstwhile candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, who has since fled to Spain.
Several countries, including the United States, have said Gonzalez is Venezuela's president-elect.
The other four officials who had sanctions imposed by Canada are a Supreme Tribunal judge, a member of the National Electoral Council, another judge and a prosecutor.
"Canada remains deeply concerned by the Maduro regime's destabilizing and anti-democratic activities and the threat they pose to Venezuelans and the region," the Canadian foreign ministry said.
The United States in November imposed sanctions on 21 senior Venezuelan officials, including members of Maduro's cabinet, for what Washington said was their role in suppressing post-election protests.
At least two dozen people were killed at the protests and about 2,000, including dozens of teenagers, were arrested.
Venezuela's attorney general said on Monday that 533 arrested protesters had been freed, though rights groups said they have not been able to verify all the releases.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa, Susan Heavey in Washington and Julia Symmes Cobb in Bogota; Additional writing by Oliver Griffin in Bogota; Editing by Doina Chiacu and Rosalba O'Brien)
