Intergovernmental organization condemns U.S. "direct threat" to Venezuela

CARACAS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- An intergovernmental organization on Wednesday condemned the U.S. government's "direct threat" to Venezuela after announcing a possible resumption of sanctions.

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America -- People's Trade Agreement (ALBA-TCP) said in a communique that U.S. sanctions threatened "the sovereignty and political and economic stability" of Venezuela and demanded that all illegal sanctions against the Venezuelan people cease immediately and without conditions.

The United States does not have "any kind of morals to threaten a free and sovereign state," it said.

"The ALBA-TCP ratifies the commitment to the defense of national sovereignty without foreign interference and makes a new call to the international community to condemn this attack," it added.

The U.S. State Department announced this week that it would suspend the easing of sanctions against the Venezuelan oil industry in response to what it considers violations of the agreements between the government and the opposition of the South American nation.

It also announced the suspension of the "license" that allowed companies related to the United States to carry out operations with the Venezuelan state-owned company Minerven, which is in charge of gold exploitation.