Venezuela’s envoy from US recalled after bans

Venezuela has recalled its top diplomat in the United States in reaction to US President Barack Obama’s move to impose new sanctions against seven Venezuelan officials.

“We call Maximilien Arvelaiz, charge d’affaires in the United States, for immediate consultations,” Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said in a Monday message posted on Twitter.

Under Obama’s order, the US property and bank accounts of seven officials, including the former national guard chief Antonio Benavides, intelligence chief Gustavo Gonzales and national police chief Manuel Perez, would be frozen. Washington claims that the group has been involved in human rights violations and public corruption in the South American country.

Last year, US Congress adopted a legislation that allowed for penalties that would freeze the assets and ban visas for anyone Washington accuses of carrying out acts of violence or violating the human rights of those opposing Venezuela’s government.

International reactions to new bans

The controversial move by the US, whose ties with Venezuela have already been strained, drew condemnation from Venezuelan officials and the country’s regional allies.

Diosdado Cabello, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said the sanctions are indicative of US attempts to spark conflict in the oil-rich nation.

“Mr. Obama, you and your imperialists are going to have to sanction lots of Venezuelans who are willing to give their life to defend the Bolivarian revolution and the project started by Comandante Hugo Chavez,” Cabello told a rally of government supporters.

Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino also stressed that the South American bloc UNASUR would not allow “foreign intervention” or a coup in Venezuela.

US-Venezuela tensions

The two countries remain at odds since late Hugo Chavez became Venezuela’s president in 1999. Both sides have refused to exchange ambassadors since 2010.

Washington has admitted that it endorsed a coup that toppled Chavez briefly in 2002.

The Venezuelan government recently ordered the American Embassy to cut the number of its staff from 100 to 17 by around mid-March as only 17 Venezuelan diplomats are currently serving in the US. Caracas also imposed a visa requirement for American tourists.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on February 12 said a US-backed coup plot against him had been foiled. Washington denied the claim.