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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is preparing a "series of actions" in the coming days to increase pressure on the Venezuelan government, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo told Fox News on Friday.
"You will see in the coming days a series of actions that continue to increase the level of pressure against Venezuelan leaders, who are working directly against the best interests of the Venezuelan people," Pompeo said. "We are determined to ensure that the Venezuelan people have their say."
He did not give more details on the nature of the planned actions.
The Venezuelan Ministry of Information did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration has regularly increased sanctions against officials of President Nicolas Maduro's left-wing government, accusing it of stifling democracy by jailing opposition leaders.
Last year, Washington imposed sanctions banning the trade of new debt and new shares issued by the Venezuelan government and its public oil company PDVSA. He imposed several rounds of sanctions on government officials, including Maduro.
The Venezuelan economy collapsed under Maduro, with an annual inflation of 200,000%, and staple foods and basic medicines increasingly difficult to obtain, which led to an emigration massive.
Pompeo's warning comes ahead of the UN's annual meeting in New York next week, which will feature state leaders from around the world. Maduro has not attended the meetings since 2015 and said this week that he could not attend the meeting due to concerns about his safety.
In August, two drones exploded at a rally in Caracas, where Maduro was making a speech, wounding seven soldiers and causing the arrest of more than a dozen suspects, including several military officials. Maduro has described it as an attempt at assassination.
(Report by Lesley Wroughton, edited by Rosalba O & # 39; Brien and James Dalgleish)
