Venezuela denounces 'interventionist' EU sanctions

November 16, 2017
Issue 
Venezuelan foreign affairs minister Jorge Arreaza met with several diplomats of member countries of the European Union on November 14.

Venezuelan foreign minister Jorge Arreaza met with diplomatic representatives from the European Union and rejected the sanctions imposed by the EU against the South American country, on November 14.

"EU sanctions seek to intervene in Venezuela," Arreaza said during the meeting.

He condemned the economic sanctions, including an arms embargo against the country, that were imposed the day before. 

Arreaza said the Venezuelan government regretted that the EU was taking an interventionist approach similar to the United States "with the aim of breaking the dialogue process in Venezuela." 

Arreaza met with several diplomats of member countries of the 28 member-bloc, such as Austria, Poland, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Britain.

Arreaza said the EU sanctions were practically the same as those imposed by the US and that they represented unilateral coercive measures.

"Venezuela must be respected! There is no Government in Europe or USA that can go against the will of the Venezuelan people," Arreaza said on Twitter.

"The Venezuelan government will not allow the sovereignty of its people to be attacked".

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called the EU bloc's decision "stupid" on November 13, with the Venezuelan government also issuing a statement saying that EU measures were "illegal" and "absurd" and violated international norms. 

"European institutions show their lamentable and shameful subordination to the US government," the statement added.

[Reprinted from TeleSUR English.]

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