MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd February, 2019) Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido announced that he would ask the European Union to protect the country's assets, adding that a new leadership would be appointed at Citgo, a US-based subsidiary of Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA facing Washington's sanctions.
"We will also ask [the European Union] to protect our assets in Europe. I'll say it once again: the money of the Venezuelan people will not be stolen," Guaido said late on Saturday in an address for his supporters, as quoted by Nacional newspaper.
He also announced that in the coming days, a new leadership would be appointed at Citgo.
On Monday, the United States blocked all assets of PDVSA in its jurisdiction amid political crisis in Venezuela, which the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, accuses Washington of orchestrating. The United States has also imposed a ban on deals with the company, claiming that it was acting in the interests of the people of Venezuela. Maduro has slammed the move as unlawful and has also accused Washington of attempts to "steal" Citgo.
Venezuela is currently facing large-scale anti-government protests with opposition leader Guaido having declared himself the country's interim president on January 23. Maduro has accused the United States of plotting to overthrow him and expressed the belief that Guaido was being instructed by Washington.
