Venezuela’s oil minister tells US to “go to hell” after recent sanctions
After the US recently announced that it will be imposing sanctions against foreign countries for their involvement with Iran’s weapons of mass destruction, the head of Venezuela’s state owned Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) responded by saying, “We’ll sell oil to whoever we want to. We don’t need money from gringos… The imperialists can go to hell.”
PDVSA President and energy and petroleum minister Rafael Ramirez added, “We do what best serves the people of Venezuela and what best serves the interests of the Venezuelan state.”
The sanctions, ordered against six companies, including companies from Israel and Singapore, follow a series of sanctions imposed by the US government over the last few weeks. Government documents allege that PDVSA has been supplying petroleum products (including gasoline) to Iran.
Venezuela has responded that the allegations are hostile and that its government will need to review all elements of the measures before making a formal response.
According to the International Energy Agency, Venezuela produces an average of 2.25 million barrels of oil a day and is the leading oil producer in South America.
05/26/2011