Venezuelans protest against sanctions, illegal seizures of assets

Caracas, Aug 10 Thousands of Venezuelans took the the streets of the capital Caracas to protest against US-led sanctions and illegal seizures of the nation's financial and non-financial assets.

About 10,000 protesters took part in the demonstration on Tuesday called by the government to press for the recovery of the assets, Transportation Minister and president of flag carrier Conviasa, Ramon Velasquez Araguayan, told the media.

"We are going to march to the National Assembly (Congress) to offer a forceful demonstration by the Venezuelan people," Xinhua news agency quoted the Minister as saying.

He added they will continue to mobilize until all seized assets are returned.

Among the assets is a plane belonging to Venezuelan company Emtrasur that was "illegally" impounded in Argentina due to an order issued by a US judge, said Velasquez, adding the aircraft must be returned.

Venezuelan accounts at international banks have also been seized, he said.

Also addressing the protesters, President of Venezuela's National Assembly Jorge Rodriguez condemned the sanctions against Conviasa.

"Agents of the North American empire should know ... there is a river of people here who are rising up against the sanctions, who are rising up against the blockade, who are rising up against the attack on our company Conviasa," he said.

The sanctions against Venezuela are the worst "that a country on this continent has ever suffered", he said.

On June 6, a Boeing 747 of Emtrasur, used to deliver humanitarian aid to the Caribbean and African countries, was seized by the Argentine authorities and was later impounded due to an order issued by a US judge.

Earlier on Tuesday, President Nicolas Maduro said on Twitter: "Venezuela marches today #9Ago to defend and recover illegally confiscated and held national assets."

On Monday, He said the march would be the starting point of a "great campaign" to recover the nation's assets.

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