Jorge Rodriguez, chairman of the National Congress of Venezuela (referred to as the "National Congress"), said on the 14th local time that the United States used the pretext of "combating drug trafficking" to impose sanctions and blockade on Venezuela.It is essentially an act of aggression based on lies and a direct threat to the peace and sovereignty of Venezuela.¡£

Rodriguez said that the threats, sanctions and blockades of the United States are not aimed at a certain group, but cause damage to the economy and life of all Venezuelan people, constituting an "imperialist economic war". He called on all sectors of Venezuelan society to unite and defend the country's image with the truth in "information warfare" and "psychological warfare".

He quoted US media reports as saying:The United States has long claimed to fight drug trafficking, but has never addressed its own drug spread.¡£ About 85% of drugs in the United States flow through the Pacific Ocean, not the Caribbean. If the United States really wants to crack down on drugs, it should start with large laboratories in its own territory, instead of interfering in other countries' affairs on the grounds of military action.

Relations between Venezuela and the United States have continued to be tense recently. Since the beginning of September, the United States has deployed several warships in the Caribbean waters near Venezuela on the grounds of "combating Latin American drug trafficking cartels". President Maduro accused the United States of intending to engage in regime change in Venezuela and military expansion in Latin America through military threats. US President Trump posted on social media on October 14th that the US military sank a "drug trafficking ship" again in international waters near the coast of Venezuela that day, killing six people on board. This is the fifth time since September that the Trump administration has announced military action against "drug trafficking ships" in international waters off Venezuela. (Headquarters reporter Lei Xiangping)