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Venezuelans rally against US sanctions


Tens of thousands of government supporters in Venezuela have continued to protest a recent US decision to impose sanctions on a state-owned oil company for doing business with Iran.

“It’s not the first time sanctions are imposed on us. We must remember that once President [Hugo] Chavez enacted a carbon dehydrate law and took control of our oil industry, the American imperialism orchestrated a coup,” Venezuelan Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Rafael Ramirez said.

Venezuelans have continued their protests for nearly a week after the US imposed sanctions on Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) for its trade deals with Tehran, a Press TV correspondent reported.

“I think economic sanctions are an act of aggression, even if they may not have a negative impact on the country’s economy. Venezuela does not borrow money from the US, [but under the sanctions] they’re still going to sell oil to the US,” American Peace Activist, Cindy Sheehan said.

The US State Department says that Venezuela delivered some two cargoes of refined petroleum products to Tehran sometime between December and March.

Ironically, the sanctions are to ban the Venezuelan oil company from all US government contracts, US import-export financing and export licenses for sensitive technology, while allowing the nation to sell crude oil to the US.

Chavez has slammed the United States’ actions, saying that the US has no right to interfere in the affairs and business dealings of a sovereign country.

According to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, the government is currently investigating the situation before taking it to international agencies. Maduro says that his country is completely capable of encountering US sanctions.

The sanctions come as Venezuela is one of the United States’ main suppliers of petroleum. Venezuela sells the US one million barrels of oil each day.

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