Venezuelan Foreign Minister Condemns Unilateral Coercive Measures

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yván Gil, spoke out today to denounce the 1,042 unilateral coercive measures imposed on Venezuela by the United States and its European allies. "Enough of unilateral coercive measures!", wrote the high-ranking diplomat on his Telegram account as the International Day against Unilateral Coercive Measures is celebrated this Thursday. He pointed out that these 1,042 "criminal" coercive measures imposed on the Venezuelan people aim to "break the will of a nation that has chosen the path of sovereignty under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro and popular power". Gil stated that these measures not only impact the Venezuelan people but also disrupted solidarity and cooperation programs such as PetroCaribe, which benefited the entire region. On this International Day against Unilateral Coercive Measures, "we demand the elimination of these tools of domination and denounce the military threat looming over our country," he expressed. "Together, we will defend our sovereignty and the rights of our people!", assured the Chancellor. Venezuela's Foreign Minister indicated that this date is being commemorated for the first time after it was established by the United Nations in June of last year, at the proposal of the Group of Friends of the United Nations Charter. "This day calls on us to raise our voices against this crime that affects our peoples and demand the immediate cessation of coercive measures imposed by governments seeking to provoke the economic collapse of sovereign nations," he emphasized. In particular, he demanded an end to the inhumane blockade of Cuba, which has been imposed by the United States for over 60 years with total impunity, despite the growing international rejection that manifests itself every year. He asserted that Venezuela is also a victim of these coercive measures by Washington and Europe, which "has had a profound impact on our population, as confirmed by UN experts". However, he expressed, under the leadership of President Nicolás Maduro, "we have demonstrated remarkable strength in rebuilding our economy and guaranteeing the social protection of our people". As part of the event, and on behalf of the Head of State, a delegation from Venezuela attended a plenary meeting this Thursday, within the context of the 80th session of the United Nations, to commemorate and promote the International Day against Unilateral Coercive Measures. "Today we mark a milestone by unanimously rejecting these unilateral coercive measures, which represent crimes against humanity and attack the fundamental rights of our peoples," stated Gil on social media.