Canadian Prime Minister

Mark Carney

spoke with

Venezuelan

opposition leader Maria Corina Machado Sunday and said his government supports “a peaceful,

Venezuelan-led transition

of power.”

The discussion came on an extraordinary weekend during which the United States captured Venezuelan President

Nicolas Maduro

and flew him to New York, where he was indicted on drug-related charges. U.S. President Donald Trump said the

U.S. will “run” the South American nation

until a transition of power is completed.

Carney and Machado condemned Maduro’s regime, which they said was “brutally oppressive, criminal, and illegitimate.” The two agreed on “the importance of seizing this opportunity for freedom, democracy, peace, and prosperity in Venezuela,” according to a statement from the Canadian prime minister’s office.

Machado, the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, has been living in hiding in Venezuela as she pressed the international community to condemn Maduro for human rights violations and election tampering that kept her and her allies from democratically winning power in the

oil-rich nation

.

But Trump appeared to dismiss the idea of working with Machado on a political transition for Venezuela, saying she lacked support and respect. For now, Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s vice president, is acting president of the country.

“Prime Minister Carney affirmed Canada’s steadfast support for a peaceful, negotiated, and Venezuelan-led transition process that promotes stability and respects the democratic will of the Venezuelan people,” the prime minister’s office said.

Venezuelans have a sovereign right to build their own future society, Carney said.

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