Venezuelan military to support Maduro against US sanctions

The Venezuelan armed forces (FANB) has confirmed their "unconditional support and loyalty" to President Nicolas Maduro in the wake of the sanctions imposed on him by the US.

The FANB said on Tuesday they consider the sanctions to be a violation of international law, Efe news reported.

"The FANB holds more than ever to its constitutionally assigned mission, confirms its unconditional support and loyalty to our commander-in-chief and reiterates the historic commitment to defend national sovereignty and independence," the military said in a communique that was read by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino.

In the text of its message, the armed forces said that the US government, "in keeping with its traditional interventionist and imperialist policy... assumes extraterritorial powers that flagrantly violate elementary principles of international law."

The US does so "with the deranged proposal of undermining the image of national executive power and, therefore, undermining the country's institutions, governability and stability."

Padrino emphasized that Venezuela does not take orders or accept "threats from foreign powers and empires," and he asserted that the armed forces will defend "at any cost" the interests of the Venezuelan people.

"We will always act with the force of reason, respect for legality and human rights," he said.

The US government on Monday imposed direct sanctions on Maduro, including freezing his assets under US jurisdiction and prohibiting financial transactions with him by US citizens.

The Venezuelan Supreme Court, meanwhile, considers the US measures to be aimed at "subjecting the Venezuelan government to imperialist interests, thereby affecting the sovereignty and the self-determination of peoples."

--IANS

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