Washington to Continue Imposing Venezuela Sanctions, US Secretary of State Says

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the United States will continue to impose sanctions on Venezuela following the seizure of an airplane belonging to President Nicolas Maduro last Monday, emphasizing Washington's support for Venezuelan voters. During his visit to the Dominican Republic, Blinken said that the US administration have been very clear in terms of enforcing its sanctions, stressing that the will of the Venezuelan people could not be clearer. For his part, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, speaking alongside Blinken, said that his country will continue to defend democratic rights and show sympathy for the situation in Venezuela. When asked about a second Venezuelan plane in Santo Domingo, Abinader mentioned that he has not received any legal notification from his government or the US administration regarding the matter. Earlier this week, Washington seized Maduro's plane in the Dominican Republic and transported it to Florida. The action was condemned by the Venezuelan pre sident as an act of piracy. The US in response said it was a necessary step, given that the purchase of the plane violated the sanctions imposed on Caracas. It is worth noting that the Venezuelan National Electoral Council had announced that President Maduro won 52 percent of the vote in the recent presidential elections, and the Supreme Court ratified the result on Aug. 22. However, Western and Latin American countries refused to recognize the election results, supporting the Venezuelan opposition's claim that its candidate had won. Source: Qatar News Agency