BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th March, 2021) Venezuela will carry on its political development despite US sanctions and any other actions Washington takes against the country, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza told Sputnik on Saturday.
The diplomat said that both the United States and the European Union have an attitude of "ideologized lies" toward Caracas, as the latter does not pose a threat to other members of the international community. In the meantime, Washington continues to pursue a policy of unilateral sanctions toward the Latin American nation, which it branded as an "extraordinary threat," the minister added.
"As for what to expect from [US Secretary of State Anthony] Blinken and the United States, I would say in the words of Jose Gervasio Artigas, the great Uruguayan: 'We do not expect anything from anyone, only from ourselves.' We will move forward regardless of what Washington does or does not do in relation to Venezuela," he said.
Earlier this week Blinken told Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido that the US backed pressure on President Nicolas Maduro, whose rule it does not recognize. Besides, the secretary of state stressed the importance of democratic transition in Venezuela. Notably, Washington also does not recognize the results of the parliamentary elections held in the country in December, which were won by the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela led by Maduro.
On January 21, 2019, mass protests began in Venezuela against President Maduro shortly after he was sworn in. The then speaker of the National Assembly, Guaido, illegally proclaimed himself interim head of state. Several Western countries, led by the United States, recognized Guaido. Maduro called the head of parliament a US puppet.
