Venezuela, Arab States Can Resist US Economic Pressure - Ambassador to Jordan

"We want to change the economic policy in the world and along with our partners in the Arab region to show to the world that we are able to resist the US economy," Venezuelan Ambassador to Jordan Omar Vielma Osuna said.

The ambassador also noted that now Venezuela had stronger trade relations with Turkey, than with the Arab countries. He pointed out the need to build trade and economic relations with the Arab world that would not be bound only to the oil sector.

"We can develop the pharmaceutical industry along with the increase in gold production … The Venezuelan goal is to make the country dependent not only on oil," Osuna stressed.

Addressing the US actions in Venezuela, he stated that Washington was trying to establish control over the Latin American country due to the latter’s huge oil resources.

State Department Encourages US Citizens to Leave Venezuela

14 March 2019, 22:39 GMT

The remarks come after on 23 January, two days after the Venezuelan Supreme Court annulled his election, lawmaker Juan Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president." Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on 10 January after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.

While dozens of nations, including the United States, have since endorsed Guaido, Russia, China and numerous others have reaffirmed their support for Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president.