Venezuela Rejects New Coercive Measures by the European Union
The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry issued an official statement on Monday, strongly rejecting the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union’s decision to impose coercive measures against 19 officials of the country.
The new additions to the European regional body’s unilateral list include high-ranking dignitaries, magistrates, and representatives of public authorities. The Venezuelan ministerial statement describes the new interference maneuver as a reaction of the bloc “due to the manifest ineffectiveness of its actions” to force a regime change in the South American nation.
“These erratic decisions also reveal the inability of the European bloc to attend to, respect and accept the will of the Venezuelan people, and once again reveal its anachronistic interventionist and interference policy towards Venezuela,” the communiqué states.
Venezuelan Troops Detect a Spy Working for Colombia
Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino denounced a new attempt to violate the sovereignty of his country by the Colombian government which attempted to get sensitive information about the Bolivarian Military Aviation (AMB).
Colombian intelligence services recruited Captain Ronald Marrero to get information about the Su-30MK2 multirole fighter, a device that is designed to destroy air, ground, and surface targets using guided and unguided aerial weapons.
This espionage action, however, was detected by the soldiers who worked with Lozano. Investigations showed this captain received a weekly payment of US$1,000 for passing information to a Colombian agent.
Venezuela Lost Over $30 Billion Due To the US Blockade
At the 46th session of the United Nations, Human Rights Council (HRC) held on Monday, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro repudiated the unilateral sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union on his country and recalled that they have contributed to exhausting the epidemiological crisis.
“The U.S. has applied over 450 unilateral coercive measures, which have caused economic damages for over US$30 billion, which could have been used to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and achieve better living standards for Venezuelans,” said Maduro.
His statements were previously backed up by United Nations Human Rights expert Alena Douhan, who recently visited Venezuela and rendered a report on the negative impact of U.S. sanctions on this South American nation.
Venezuela: 1.5 Million Barrels per Day Goal, Oil Industry Rises
Venezuela aims at significantly expanding its oil industry this year despite numerous sanctions and the U.S. blockade. The goal is to produce 1,508,000 barrels per day, for which president Nicolás Maduro extended for another 12 months the Declaration of Energy Emergency in the Hydrocarbons Industry.
“I want to say that in the wave of the Anti-Blockade Law and in the wave of new contracts that are beneficial for the Republic and international investors, we are proceeding to advance in the negotiation with companies from around the world from Turkey, India, China, from Russia, from Europe,” President Nicolás Maduro said.
On the other hand, the Minister of the People’s Power for Oil Tareck El Aissami said that “this year PDVSA is going to close its production at 1.5 million barrels of crude. It is a plan that we made together with the workers.”
President Maduro Boosts Anti-Drug Fight in Venezuela
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro inaugurated the National Anti-Drug Superintendence and took stock of his country’s fight against drugs. “We deliver to the National Assembly a draft bill for a partial reform of the Law on Drugs,” the President said.
The new Superintendence, which is the highest level institution to coordinate the fight against drug trafficking, will be headed by Major General Richard Lopez. Although Venezuela borders Colombia where 70 percent of the cocaine that circulates in the world is produced, the Bolivarian nation has managed to remain a territory free of drug production and exportation.
Venezuela highlights nuclear disarmament as highest priority of international security agenda
Venezuela’s Vice-minister for Multilateral Affairs, Daniela Rodríguez, participated on Monday in the virtual High-Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament, held in Geneva, Switzerland, ratifying the commitment of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the international regime of non-proliferation and arms control.
In her statement, the Venezuelan diplomat stressed the importance of the Conference on Disarmament “to offer the world a privileged platform for negotiation and confidence-building and as a guarantee for peace and security” in the face of the multifaceted threats to which countries are exposed, considering “that nuclear disarmament is the highest priority of the international agenda.”
