Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has warned that the United States cannot turn the sovereign Latin American country into a colony and steal its natural resources.
Speaking on the television channel Venezolana de Television on Friday, Maduro called on American politicians gathered in Washington, DC, to abandon the failed projects that the White House has been trying to implement in his country for the past 25 years.
Maduro said if US politicians are ready to engage in dialogue on a respectful basis, “we will always find here a president who represents his people, to reach out, to seek paths to peace, cooperation and prosperity.”
In the meantime, he said, the nation will never believe the lies the US is fabricating.
“It is impossible for the US government to fabricate such a virtual reality,” Maduro repeated in English, emphasizing that the Venezuelan people have demonstrated the ability “to lead the country on the right path.”
US seizure of oil tankers
This episode reveals the objective behind US pressures on Venezuelan President Maduro and its possible outcomes.
The US military has deployed a large number of warships and soldiers in the Caribbean Sea, unprecedented in decades.
Also, it has destroyed at least 28 “drug boats” in international waters since September, killing more than 100 people.
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump announced the seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker carrying Venezuelan oil.
Also, the Panamanian-flagged tanker Centuries and the supertanker Bella 1, which was traveling to Venezuela under the Panamanian flag, have been seized.
Venezuela has categorically denounced the United States’ “theft and hijacking” of its oil.
Caracas has vowed to pursue legal avenues against Washington, including filing a complaint with the United Nations.
