Venezuela FM denounces US 'militarisation' in Caribbean

Caracas, Oct 16 (IANS) Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil has denounced the United States' "militarisation" of the Caribbean Sea, which has claimed the lives of at least 27 civilians.

"We emphasise that there is no justification whatsoever for the militarisation of our coasts," Gil said while addressing the midterm ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Uganda on Wednesday (local time).

Gil condemned recent US missile strikes on ships in the region as "extrajudicial executions," the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"These are murders committed with total premeditated malice, in international waters, thousands of kilometres from the US coast, in actions that violate every norm of international law," Gil was quoted as saying. "At least 27 civilians" have been killed to date.

He added that behind the US stance against Venezuela lies "an old ambition: to carry out its already failed regime change plan to seize control of the country's resources."

"It is necessary to put an end to the chains they intend to impose on our peoples, with criminal unilateral coercive measures and blockades to bring our countries to their knees," Gil stressed.

On Telegram, Gil also noted that during the Uganda meeting, he witnessed "deep solidarity" from key allied countries "in the face of the military threat in the Caribbean, which poses a serious risk to peace."

Additionally, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said on Wednesday that his country has been under military threat from the US government, and any attack on the country with the world's largest oil reserves would have serious consequences for the global energy landscape.

Addressing the Russian Energy Week International Forum via videoconference, Rodriguez said, "energy is at the centre of global geopolitics," accusing Washington of "aggression against major oil-producing countries."

"For the past eight weeks, we have seen a military threat from the US government, which pursues a single fundamental goal: to seize Venezuela's oil, gas and vast reserves," Rodriguez told the audience.

She noted that 26 per cent of global oil production and 43 per cent of global reserves are subject to illegal sanctions or unilateral coercive measures. She questioned how investment in such countries could be maintained and how future energy demand would be met.

Venezuela has denounced on various international occasions the deployment of US military vessels in the Caribbean Sea and threats against Venezuela by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

--IANS

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