Venezuela slams US for sanctioning Maduro's stepsons

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Venezuela has termed the U.S. sanctions on president's three stepsons and a Colombian businessman an "economic terrorism".

Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza tweeted Thursday a statement from the presidency, which denounced the latest U.S. sanctions against Venezuela, saying the measures are "illegal, unilateral and coercive".

"Such practices can only be described as economic terrorism and have the rejection of the international community in the face of a notable violation of the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and other norms of international law," the statement said.

Earlier the day, the U.S. imposed sanctions on three stepsons of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Colombian businessman Alex Saab for their alleged link to a food corruption. Washington accused them of stealing hundreds of millions dollars from food import contracts at a time of ongoing economic crisis in the South American country.

Venezuela's economy has been in precipitous decline following a global downturn in the price of crude oil, the country's main export, while a political unrest ongoing since Jan. 10 also affects country's financial stability.