US National Security Adviser John Bolton said Wednesday that the US was sanctioning Nicaragua's Albanisa petroleum company, a joint venture with Venezuela's PDVSA oil company.
Through sanctioning PdVSA, the United States has also sanctioned Nicaragua’s ALBANISA, the government’s joint venture with PdVSA and slush fund of the corrupt regime of Daniel Ortega.
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) 30 января 2019 г.
Commenting on the sanctions, Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs Jorge Arreaza said Tuesday that US sanctions against PDVSA proved that the real purpose of the coup attempt in Venezuela was oil.
READ MORE: Venezuela Must Free Itself from 'Dollar Blackmail' — Maduro
On 23 January, the speaker of the opposition-led Venezuelan National Assembly, Guaido, declared himself interim head of state amid ongoing anti-government protests. The United States and a number of other countries, which disputed last year’s re-election of President Nicholas Maduro, have recognized the opposition leader. Maduro slammed Guaido as a US "puppet" and accused Washington of organizing a coup in the country.
