The Embassy of the United States of America in Ottawa in November, 2020.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
Protesters rallied Sunday outside the U.S. embassy in Ottawa to voice their opposition to President Donald Trump’s action in Venezuela, with some raising concerns about Canada’s sovereignty and the precedent set by the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Dozens of protesters holding Venezuelan flags and handmade signs, with slogans that included “I Stand With Venezuelans,” rallied outside the embassy. Other protesters gathered in Montreal.
Among the protesters in Ottawa was retiree Pierre Leblanc, who said he was an observer at the 2018 Venezuelan election of Mr. Maduro. Mr. Leblanc said he and his wife, Judith Abbott, had turned out to protest the capture of the Venezuelan President and his wife, as well as multiple deaths reported to have resulted from the U.S. operation.
Mr. Leblanc said Canada should be concerned because the action “gives the green light” to Mr. Trump following through on his other territorial ambitions, such as seizing Greenland or Canada, the latter of which the U.S. President has said he wishes to annex as the 51st state.
“The one thing about Trump: when it comes to his wildest dreams, he follows through on it. He does it,” he said.
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Ms. Abbott said she was concerned about the impact on the market for Albertan oil and the proposed new pipeline, after Mr. Trump expressed his intention to seize and run Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.
Patricia Gomes, an academic scientist in Ottawa, said she had turned out to protest the U.S. action in Venezuela because “it is important to show that we are not fine with this.”
“If you don’t do anything, they might as well think we don’t care and that’s not right,” she said.
Lisa Howell, an assistant professor of education at the University of Ottawa, said she wanted to convey her opposition to Mr. Trump’s actions, saying, “I don’t believe in occupation and imperialism.”
Other protesters were carrying banners of the Revolutionary Communist Party and a flag depicting Che Guevara, while a few carried Palestinian flags.
Deana Sherif, a property manager of housing co-ops, said that “the U.S. has no right to break American and international law and unilaterally decide they are going to take over entire countries.”
“I am angry about our government being lackadaisical, especially since he [Mr. Trump] threatened to take over Canada,” she said. “This is the time for the government to stand firm with the rule of law on behalf of Canadians and the rest of the world.”