US playing ‘cowboy’ & ‘abusing power’ in Venezuela & Cuba – Spain’s FM

The US is abusing its power in lifting a ban on lawsuits against the Cuban government, according to Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell. He also lashed out at Washington’s “cowboy” intervention threats against Venezuela.

Borrell roasted US President Donald Trump’s administration policies in Latin America during a TV interview on Wednesday. He was particularly fired up about Washington’s decision last month to begin enforcing the 1996 Helms-Burton act, which essentially allows Cuban-Americans to sue the Cuban government over property confiscated during the 1959 Socialist revolution.

“This is further proof of a lack of cooperation on the part of the US administration,” Borrell said, adding that Spain opposes the measure and considers it “an abuse of power.”

This is going to open a legal battle, we will go to the WTO [World Trade Organization].

The US is taking the controversial step in order to put pressure on Havana over their alleged role in assisting the embattled Venezuelan government during a coup attempt by opposition forces backed by Washington.

While Spain has called for the formation of a group composed of EU and Latin American governments aimed at facilitating new elections in Venezuela, the US has been saber-rattling, saying that military options to enforce regime change are still on the table.

The contact group which we are part of is not on the same wavelength as the US administration, which is like a cowboy who says ‘look at me, I will draw my gun.’

Although stressing that Spain does not consider it a mistake to have recognized Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela, he emphasized the need for a “peaceful, negotiated and democratic solution” to the crisis gripping the country.

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