Bueno Aires: A vessel carrying 25 tonnes of soy for Venezuela was detained in the Panama Canal due to the sanctions imposed by the US on the Latin American country, said Venezuelan vice president Delcy Rodriguez.
She tweeted, "Venezuela announces to the international community that, at the moment, a ship with 25 tonnes of soy for producing food in our country is detained in the Panama Canal due to the criminal blockade imposed by (US President) Donald Trump."
Her statement came after Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday to freeze assets held by the Venezuelan government in the US.
Rodriguez said that an owner of the detained ship was told by an insurance company that he had been banned from bringing goods to Venezuela due to the sanctions. She described it as a violation of international law and the UN Charter.
In January, Venezuela plunged into a political and economic crisis after opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as the country's interim president amid throngs of cheering supporters who called for the resignation of legitimate President Nicolas Maduro.
The US immediately extended its support to Guaido, followed by nations like Canada and Britain. However, countries like Russia and China have backed Maduro and slammed the US for its external interference in Venezuela.
Maduro took office for a second term in January after winning the last year's presidential election. The international community has termed the polls as a "sham" and "rigged".
Washington has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Maduro government in support of Guaido.
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