Venezuela slams Canada PM for 'insenstitive' words on Chavez
Ottawa, March 7: Venezuelan authorities on Thursday protested against Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper's "insensitive" remarks on the death of President Hugo Chavez.
Harper on Tuesday offered condolences to the people of Venezuela but not the family of the flamboyant leader who died on Tuesday after fighting a prolonged battle against cancer. He also said in his short statement that he hoped the death of Chavez would ensure a promising future for the people of Venezuela based on freedom, democracy and the rule of law and respect for human rights.
Harper
also
said
that
he
was
expecting
to
work
together
with
Chavez's
successor
and
other
leaders
in
the
region.
A
day
after
the
Canadian
government
issued
the
statement,
Caracas
reacted
by
sending
a
‘card
of
protest'
to
Ottawa's
insensitive
remark
at
a
time
when
the
entire
Venzuela
was
mourning
the
death
of
the
leader.
Vice-minister
for
North
America
Claudio
Salerno
said
Caracas
protested
the
Canadian
PM's
words
"in
blunt
and
categorical
way".
Harper had been a critic of Chavez's world views and felt the latter symbolised the leftist leaders in the western hemisphere who were opposed to good economic policies and wanted to reverse the progress made in terms of democracy.
The Venezuelan government hit back at Harper, saying it had chosen its socialist destiny freely and democratically.
OneIndia News