Venezuela collects over 5 mn signatures against US decree

Over five million Venezuelans have signed a petition against a US decree that labels the South American country as a national security threat.

Earlier this month, Obama signed a decree stating "the situation in Venezuela... constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the US and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat," Xinhua reported on Monday.

"We have collected more than five million signatures and we want to call the Venezuelan people to keep on going till we reach 10 million," Mayor of Caracas Jorge Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez thanked Venezuelans for their support to repeal the decree that labels Venezuela as a national security threat.

"Our intention is to deliver collected signatures to Obama, as clear evidence that the people of Venezuela reject the crude interference in our internal affairs," Rodriguez added.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also called on the people to continue their support.

"Let us continue supporting the fatherland. Signatures are being collected at public squares and door-to-door," Maduro said.

Maduro said the signatures will be delivered to Obama during the Organisation of American States (OAS) Summit, slated to be held on April 10-11 in Panama.