Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denounced the newly imposed sanctions by the United States on Venezuela, speaking in Caracas, Friday. Maduro said they were a part of an economical coup.
“These decisions affect us, which cause us great financial, economic and energy damage. Because these measures hurt Venezuela. They cause us harm. They are part of an economic coup,” he said.
The Venezuelan leader also added, “Can the world accept that [the US] threatens to choke, suffocate, a country by its desire and by its strength to be a noble, dignified, free and independent country? It can not be accepted. We can not accept it.”
White House announced fresh financial sanctions on the oil-rich nation, Friday, leading to an increase in tensions between the two countries. The sanctions prohibit financial institutions from providing new money to the Venezuelan government or state oil company PDVSA.
Trump recently said he would not rule out military intervention in Venezuela after Maduro introduced a controversial new Constituent Assembly last month.