Foreign Minister Arreaza: € 1,543 million blockade in Novo Banco affects all Venezuelans

The illegal retention of € 1,543 million in the financial institution Novo Banco, based in the Portuguese Republic, harms the entire population of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, reiterated Tuesday the People’s Power Minister for Foreign Relations, Jorge Arreaza. The Venezuelan diplomat reaffirmed -through his Twitter account @ jaarreaza- that these assets are destined for the importation of medicines, food and other supplies for the normal development of the country.

Para los mal informados: los más de 1500 millones de Euros bloqueados en Novo Banco, Portugal, afectan a todo el pueblo: están destinados a la importación de medicinas, vacunas, alimentos, insumos industriales, semillas, fertilizantes… #TrumpDesbloqueaVenezuela

— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) May 14, 2019

…tratamientos e insumos contra la malaria, el VIH y otras enfermedades crónicas, insumos hospitalarios, compromisos con agencias ONU, autopartes, salarios del personal del servicio exterior, entre otros. El bloqueo de EEUU es ilegal y criminal. #TrumpDesbloqueaVenezuela

— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) May 14, 2019

FM Arreaza denounced that Portuguese banking obeys the orders issued by the US government, in the framework of the illegal blockade that Washington has imposed on Caracas. “The Foreign Minister of Portugal affirms that in his country the banks do not receive orders from the Portuguese government; but it is evident that they do obey orders from the US government. They block in a criminal manner the resources of the Venezuelan people”, added the Foreign Minister, referring to recent statements by his Portuguese counterpart.

El Canciller de Portugal afirma que en su país los bancos no reciben órdenes del gobierno portugués; pero es evidente que sí obedecen órdenes del gobierno de EEUU. Bloquean de manera criminal los recursos del pueblo venezolano. #TrumpDesbloqueaVenezuelahttps://t.co/9cdgzQOuiH

— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) May 14, 2019

The Government of Venezuela has already asked the Portuguese authorities for their good offices in order to release the state assets that have been illegally blocked at Novo Banco.