Following slap of US sanctions on state-run oil company Venezuela reciprocated Tuesday by prohibiting opposition leader Juan Guaido from leaving the country.
Chief prosecutor asked apex court to freeze the bank accounts of the self-declared interim president too.
Briefing to the press prosecutor Tarek Saab said, “We request these preventive measures against Guaido while we compile elements to stop the events that since January 22 have broken peace of the Republic.”
However, the self-declared interim president dismissed the move saying it comes from such regime that does not answers to Venezuelans.
Guaido said, “The world is clear on what’s happening in Venezuela… Let’s not get desist because of threats and persecution. We will continue to advance in our fight.”
Washington has escalated efforts to unseat Maduro and on Monday imposed sanctions on PDVSA, a state oil company to facilitate transferring wealth to Gauido who is considered as the legitimate leader of Venezuela.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, “Today’s designation of PDVSA will help prevent further diverting of Venezuela’s assets by Maduro and preserve these assets for the people of Venezuela.”
One of the main and sources of Venezuela is oil export and sanctions would mean a bigger blog to the country.
Head of local consulting firm Econometrica, Henkel Garcia, said the sanctions would be a big blow to Maduro as well as to Venezuelan and in short term scarcity of food and medicines could be seen.
