Сuban President Slams New US Sanctions on Venezuela as 'Act of Interference'

"#US imposed sanctions this Friday to vessels and companies engaged in oil shipments between #Cuba and #Venezuela, a lawful activity under commercial contracts. These measures are an act of extraterritoriality, interference and imperial arrogance," Diaz-Canel wrote on Twitter.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry has also strongly condemned the US move and noted that Caracas would respond to these sanctions in an appropriate legal manner.

On Friday, the United States sanctioned 34 vessels tied PDVSA, controlled by the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and two companies that allegedly transport oil from Venezuela to Cuba. Moreover, a senior official from the administration of US President Donald Trump said the latest round of sanctions was introduced at the request of the Venezuelan opposition-led National Assembly.

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Venezuela has long been suffering from an acute economic crisis exacerbated by the US sanctions against the country. In January,  opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president of Venezuela after disputing Maduro’s re-election in May. Washington immediately endorsed Guaido and called on Maduro to step down.

Maduro has accused the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup in order to install Guaido as a US puppet. Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia, Turkey and a number of other countries have voiced their support for Maduro as the only legitimate president of Venezuela.