- Title: Venezuelan Supreme Court rejects U.S. sanctions
- Date: 1st August 2017
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 1, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF SUPREME COURT PRESIDENT OF THE SUPREME COURT, MAIKEL MORENO, WITH OTHER JUDGES JUDGES DURING NEWS CONFERENCE MORENO READING STATEMENT (NOT A SOUNDBITE) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE VENEZUELAN SUPREME COURT, MAIKEL MORENO, SAYING: "Venezuelan democracy is threatened by the government of the United States by the imposition of a set of unilateral and arbitrary sanctions against the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. This as a result of its constitutional and legal power to convene the election of the Constituent National Assembly." CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF THE VENEZUELAN SUPREME COURT, MAIKEL MORENO, SAYING: "The Supreme Court of Justice categorically rejects the sanctions issued by the government of the United States against the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Mr. Nicolas Maduro Moros, for the sole purpose of subjecting the Venezuelan government to the imperialist interests, thereby affecting sovereignty and self-determination of the people, grossly violating guarantees and principles of international law." JUDGES DURING NEWS CONFERENCE MORENO WITH JUDGES MORENO AND OTHER JUDGES LEAVING
- Embargoed: 15th August 2017 19:50
- Keywords: U.S. sanctions on Venezuela Nicolas Maduro crisis
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SBT3YF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Venezuela's Supreme Court rejected on Tuesday (August 1) sanctions levied on President Nicolas Maduro by the United States in response to the weekend election of a legislative superbody Washington denounced as a "sham" vote.
Supreme Court President Maikel Moreno told reporters that "Venezuelan democracy is threatened by the government of the United States" because of the sanctions.
Under the sanctions, all of Maduro's assets subject to U.S. jurisdiction were frozen, and Americans are barred from doing business with him, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control said.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino defended Maduro over accusations that his government is turning into a dictatorship. Surrounded by soldiers, Padrino stated that Maduro is not a dictator.
The Supreme Court statement and Padrino's statement come on the heels of Venezuelan security forces jailing opposition leaders Leopoldo Lopez and Antonio Ledezma in overnight raids. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
