CARACAS (Reuters) - The president of Venezuela's opposition-run Congress on Monday accused Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs of "aiding and abetting the country's dictatorial regime" following a report that it had bought $2.8 billion in bonds from the cash-strapped country. "Goldman Sachs' financial lifeline to the regime will serve to strengthen the brutal repression unleashed against the hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans peacefully protesting for political change in the country," wrote Julio Borges in a letter to Goldman Sachs President Lloyd Blankfein. "Given the unconstitutional nature of Nicolas Maduro's administration, its unwillingness to hold democratic elections and its systematic violation of human rights, I am dismayed that Goldman Sachs decided to enter this transaction." A Goldman Sachs spokesman said the bank declined to comment. The bonds were not sold directly by Venezuela's central bank but rather through an intermediary, three finance industry sources, including one from Goldman, told Reuters on Monday.

Source: The Star May 29, 2017 18:56 UTC