Maduro repudiates Trump's quarantine threat, says Venezuela ready for battle

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has lashed out at his American counterpart, Donald Trump, for threatening to impose a blockade or a quarantine on the South American country.

Speaking during a live television interview, Maduro said such measures were "illegal" and all Venezuelans were ready to respond in kind.

“All of Venezuela, in a civic-military union, repudiates and rejects the statements of Donald Trump about a supposed quarantine, of a supposed blockade,” Maduro said in a state television broadcast on Friday.

 “A blockade, why would he announce that?” he asked. “It is clearly illegal.”

 “We are all prepared for battle if anyone tries to impose a quarantine or blockade on Venezuela,” said Maduro, adding that the threat only shows the “desperation and irritation” of the Trump administration.

Asked by a reporter on Thursday whether he was considering a blockade or a quarantine, Trump said: “Yes, I am.”

Washington has already imposed several rounds of sanctions against the oil-rich country to oust Maduro.

Maduro denounced the new measures, describing them as “Illegal, spurious decisions”.

“Stupid decisions about supposed sanctions,” he said. “Every time there has been a dialogue session, the US government makes bad, perverse decisions like it took this week.”

Maduro was referring to a new round of talks that was ongoing between his government’s representatives and the opposition in the Caribbean country of Barbados.

The foreign ministry of mediator Norway said on Friday that the two sides “have reiterated their willingness to advance in the search for an agreed upon and constitutional solution”.

“The representatives of the main political actors in Venezuela are continuing the negotiations,” said the ministry.

SS