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Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned comments by the U.S. State Department's spokeswoman Heather Nauert against the National Constituent Assembly, ANC.
In a statement, the Ministry rejected Washington's criticism of the newly-elected body's "sovereign decisions".
The Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, tweeted the full text.
Canciller @jaarreaza: Venezuela emitió su respuesta ante el comunicado intervencionista e injerencista del Departamento de Estado de EEUU pic.twitter.com/BNfH8m3oFB
— CancilleríaVenezuela (@vencancilleria) 19 August 2017
Venezuela said the words of the U.S. government's representative clearly demonstrate "...a new act of interference in Venezuelan internal affairs by the US administration in violation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and of the norms of international law."
It also denounced the disinformation campaign "advanced from the great centers of media power in order to promote the destabilization of the nation."
The Venezuelan government said it wanted to point out to the international community, the pattern of "systematic and planned American aggressions, which clearly detract from the principles governing peaceful relations and the spirit of dialogue and political understanding which must prevail among States."
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Venezuela Reaffirms That Legislative Branch Wasn’t Dissolved
Nauert had issued a State Department statement on Friday which "strongly condemned" the ANC's "assumption of legislative powers".
The Venezuelan government has also rejected the intervention by the Lima Group against the body.
On Friday, the bloc of countries including Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia and seven other nations joined the United States in criticizing the assembly for "usurping" the powers of congress.
Arreaza also tweeted the official response and said, "May they reflect and learn to respect the sovereignty of the people."
Respuesta contundente de Venezuela a los países de la Conjura de Lima. Ojalá reflexionen y aprendan a respetar la soberanía de los Pueblos pic.twitter.com/eceAMncgV3
— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) 19 August 2017
Members of the newly-elected ANC have rejected allegations that the opposition-led National Assembly was dissolved and that their members were "stripped of their credentials."
The body assumed some of the National Assembly's functions by decree on Friday, because it continues to be in contempt since it swore in lawmakers whose elections were under investigation for irregularities.
The ANC's President Delcy Rodriguez said that despite mainstream media and opposition claims that the legislative body was dissolved, only some of its functions have been assumed and the lawmakers can continue working.
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