LIMA, PERU: US Vice President Mike Pence on Friday (Saturday in Manila) called for more sanctions on Venezuela to isolate President Nicolas Maduro and his administration, overshadowing the opening of a summit in Peru with Latin American leaders. Pence urged the extra measures as he met with Venezuelan opposition figures in Lima who called for more sanctions and “intervention” in their crisis-hit country. Maduro was not invited to take part in the summit, which began on Friday but was overshadowed by Pence’s calls for sanctions and US-led strikes in Syria, which caused the vice president to abruptly leave the opening ceremony. Hyperinflation, scarcities of basic food and medicine, and skyrocketing violence are gripping Venezuela, prompting a swelling exodus of its citizens that is increasingly concerning the UN. Maduro accuses the United States of helping the opposition to undermine his authority by waging what he calls economic “sabotage” in Venezuela.

Source: Manila Times April 14, 2018 15:21 UTC