Venezuela expels two US diplomats after new sanctions

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered the expulsion of two top US diplomats, saying they must "leave the country in 48 hours", a day after US President Donald Trump prohibited certain additional transactions with Venezuela.

Maduro on Tuesday declared the US charge d'affaires Todd Robinson and deputy head of mission Brian Naranjo as "personae non gratae", Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.

"They must leave the country in 48 hours, in protest and in defence of the dignity of Venezuelan. Enough conspiracies," Maduro said. He also instructed Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza to ensure the two diplomats will leave as ordered.

Despite the move, Maduro reiterated that he wanted the "best relations with the US... although this seems to be impossible".

The US order targeted the Maduro government by banning all transactions by US persons or companies which would acquire any debt from the Venezuelan government.

The order also bans the sale, transfer or acceptance as a guarantee of any collateral in Venezuela in which the Venezuelan government or a public entity holds over 50 per cent of shares.

--IANS

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