Venezuela to Review US Relations Following Espionage Against PDVSA

November 19, 2015

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro ordered his Foreign Minister, Delcy Rodriguez to establish an urgent meeting with U.S. charge d’affaires in Venezuela, after this Wednesday a document revealed that the National Security Agency (NSA) carried out spying activities against 10,000 workers of state-run oil company PDVSA for 10 years straight.

“Today US secret documents were released by NSA agents –among them Edward Snowden– revealing that the intelligence agency and the US Embassy in Caracas, for 10 years straight, were spying on privacy of 10,000 workers of oil firm PDVSA,” Maduro complained in Anzoategui state.

The President explained that intelligence operations allowed the US access to profiles of the oil company workers, to know what they talked about and what information they shared via email. Besides, he emphasized that these US actions are “a violation of international law” and said this is a new attack against the Bolivarian Revolution.

Therefore, he asked the Foreign Ministry to arrange an urgent meeting on Thursday November 19 with the charge d’affaires of the US embassy, a meeting to be chaired by Foreign Minister, Delcy Rodriguez.

“The US empire, since Hugo Chavez nationalized PDVSA and transformed it into the industry of the Venezuelan homeland, has always tried to sabotage the oil industry and overthrow the Bolivarian government for them to take control, to take the oil, which is exclusively of the people of Venezuela. That’s the truth,” President said.

At Thursday’s meeting, Venezuela will deliver a note to protest NSA spying, and shall review the relations Venezuela currently holds with that country.

“I have ordered an investigation. I have ordered Chancellor Delcy Rodriguez to initiate a review of relations with the US government because Venezuela must be respected, the working class must be respected,” he said.

The president said that for years, the US has begun to spy and invade other countries as state policies: “They spy on countries of Europe, in the past they also spied on Brazil, but Venezuela will not let itself be beaten by imperialism,” said Maduro, adding that in the coming days he will reveal the decisions taken regarding the case.

On the other hand, foreign minister Rodriguez described the spying activities as an aggression against Venezuela and stated that this violation of international law encourage the review of relations with the US.

“Following instructions from President Nicolas Maduro we will initiate a comprehensive review of relations with the United States,” she posted to her Twitter account.

In March this year, the US government declared Venezuela as an extraordinary threat to the security of that country, an action that was condemned by all Venezuelans and by different international bodies, including the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and its 33 member countries.

http://www.avn.info.ve/contenido/venezuela-review-us-relations-following-espionage-against-pdvsa

Source: Venezuela News Agency