Venezuela’s Top Court Rejects US VP Pence’s Threat of Sanctions

On Wednesday, Maikel Moreno, the President of Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) denounced threats of sanctions by United States Vice President Mike Pence.

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Pence threatened to sanction all magistrates of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Moreno read a statement by the TSJ rejecting the interventionist threats made by the U.S. vice president.

"The judges and magistrates of the TSJ categorically and forcefully reject the threat made by Mr. Pence, who, in a disrespectful and interfering manner seeks to subjugate the highest Venezuelan judicial authorities through threats that violate the principles of independence of self-determination and sovereignty," he said.

"This unlawful, despicable and intolerable action violates the norms and principles of international law that govern the relations between civilized nations. This is a case of a new unilateral threat laid upon the Venezuelan Judicial Power, specifically on the TSJ composed of 32 magistrates.”

He also denounced this threat of sanction on a democratic institution and favoring the coup. The president reiterated that the TSJ will not be blackmailed or subordinate itself to a foreign government “that seeks to circumvent the sovereignty of our country.”

The vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez wrote on Twitter, “The countries that decide to choose the path of violence will be condemned by the people of the world, who will defend their sovereignty.”

On Tuesday, Mike Pence threatened to sanction the magistrates of the TSJ if they do not oppose the legitimate President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro.

"If the Supreme Court of Venezuela does not return to its constitutional mandate to defend the rule of law, the U.S. will hold its 25 magistrates accountable for their actions," he said.