NDP interim leader Don Davies, as well as candidates in the NDP's leadership election, have come out against the American strikes in Venezuela and the subsequent capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Davies released a statement on X earlier today stating that the actions taken by the United States are illegal under international law and that the real intention of this regime change was to further tighten American control over the vast Venezuelan oil reserves. "Trump’s declaration that US oil companies are going to take over Venezuelan oil production reveals the true motive of this attack: seizure of the largest oil reserves in the world," said Davies in his statement. .This was followed by a similar statement by NDP leadership candidate and labour union leader Rob Ashton who said that, " Trump’s unilateral military strike on Venezuela is a dangerous escalation that tramples international law, undermines sovereignty, and sets a perilous precedent for global order. We need diplomacy, not reckless intervention." Ashton went on to take a shot at Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre for celebrating the strikes and Mauro's capture, as well as calling Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand's response "inadequate"..Another leadership hopeful, Edmonton MP Heather McPherson, also took the opportunity to lambast Pollievre's response, calling Pollievre's support for the move "dangerous". McPherson also released a statement on BlueSky saying that "Maduro’s repression does not justify these actions and Canada must not tolerate any violations of international law." She also mentioned, similar to Ashton, that with this action the American government carried out the strike illegally according to international law. .Rounding off the responses from the main leadership candidates is the response from Avi Lewis who called the strikes an "act of imperialism" and stated that Trump had "invoked the Monroe Doctrine". Lewis' statement, following along similar lines from fellow leadership hopefuls Ashton and McPherson, lambasted Poilievre's celebration and criticised the government's response as not being able to " muster a single world of criticism."
