Venezuela Attends EU Meeting, Denounces 'Interventionist' EU Sanctions

The Venezuelan chancellor, Jorge Arreaza, met with the diplomatic representatives from the European Union and rejected the sanctions imposed by the European Union against the South American country. "EU sanctions seek to intervene in Venezuela," Arreaza said during the meeting.

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He condemned the economic sanctions including an arms embargo against the country that were imposed on Monday. 

Arreaza who is the Foreign Affairs minister said that the  Venezuelan government regretted that the EU was taking an interventionist approach similar to the United States "with the aim of breaking the dialogue process in Venezuela." 

The Venezuelan foreign affairs minister met with several diplomats of member countries of the 28 member-bloc, like Austria, Poland, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and the United Kingdom and said the EU sanctions were practically the same as those imposed by the United States. 

Arreaza indicated that the sanctions imposed by the EU represent unilateral coercive measures.

"Venezuela must be respected! There is no Government in Europe or USA that can go against the will of the Venezuelan people," Arreaza said on Twitter. "The Venezuelan government will not allow the sovereignty of its people to be attacked," the diplomat further said. 

On Monday, the Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro called the EU bloc's decision "stupid", with the Venezuelan government also issuing a statement saying, that EU measures were "illegal" and "absurd" and violated international norms. 

"European institutions show their lamentable and shameful subordination to the U.S. government," the statement added.