US wages 'psychological warfare' against Venezuela: FM Yvan Gil

Caracas, Dec 10 The US government is waging "psychological warfare" against Venezuela following the failure of its economic sanctions, Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Yvan Gil said.

"They are now resorting to psychological warfare, to military psychological warfare," Gil said on Tuesday (local time) during the opening of the People's Assembly for Peace and Sovereignty of Our America, an event being held in Caracas.

As part of its new strategy, he said, the United States is using "economic power, military power and, above all, media power to wage an unprecedented psychological war" against Venezuela and the region.

We are facing "a very important challenge in the history of our republics in our region," Gil said, adding that more than 500 delegates from some 50 countries across all continents are participating in the gathering.

The event, organised by the National Council for Sovereignty and Peace of Venezuela, will focus on key issues such as the US military threat, transnational crime in the region, and the Monroe Doctrine, a policy revived by Washington to "generate domination" in the region, said Gil.

Since the end of August, the United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Caribbean, describing it as part of efforts to combat drug trafficking, which Venezuela has denounced as an attempt to engineer regime change in the South American country, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier on December 1, US President Donald Trump met with his top national security advisors at the White House Oval Office to weigh next steps, including potential land attacks on Venezuela.

According to media reports, Trump had set November 28 as a deadline for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power and leave the oil-rich South American country with his family during a phone call between the two on November 21, but Maduro refused to comply.

During the phone call, Maduro declined the ultimatum, demanding "global amnesty" for himself and others.

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