Lima Group countries criticise Venezuela election date

Peru's Foreign Minister Cayetana Aljovin (C) speaks next to Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland (L), and Colombia's Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin (R) during a news conference after a meeting to discuss elections in Venezuela, in Lima, Peru February 13, 2017. REUTERS/Guadalupe Pardo

LIMA (Reuters) - The "Lima Group" of Latin American nations plus Canada on Tuesday criticised the Venezuelan government's decision to hold a presidential election on April 22 without reaching an agreement with an opposition coalition.

Venezuela's socialist government set the date on Feb. 7, setting the stage for the likely re-election of President Nicolas Maduro despite his widespread unpopularity and a crushing economic crisis.