Venezuelan minister attacks US during Beijing visit

BEIJING: Venezuela’s foreign minister blamed the US for his country’s spiralling debt crisis, saying Washington’s “permanent attack” had left the economy crippled.

Jorge Arreaza lashed out at US President Donald Trump, US and European sanctions, and American interference in Venezuela’s internal affairs at the Venezuelan embassy in Beijing during a three-day official visit.

“Our country is under permanent aggression from the United States of America,” Arreaza said at a press conference where he also heaped fulsome praise on China, one of the country’s largest creditors.

“Thank God humanity can count on the People’s Republic of China to guarantee peace,” he said.

Venezuela is mired in a political and financial crisis.

The government of President Nicolas Maduro has ratcheted up political repression this year as food and basic medical supplies run low and protesters intermittently take to the streets.

Experts say the cash-poor but oil- rich nation owes about US$20US$30bil (RM82-RM122bil) to China out of a total debt mountain estimated at US$150bil (RM612bil).

Venezuela partially defaulted on its debt last month, striking a repayment agreement with Russia, and Beijing has said it is confident the country can “properly handle” the debt crisis. — AFP