Venezuela leader reacts angrily to threat of US sanctions

Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, had some strong words for the United States during a press conference Saturday. The threat of U.S sanctions being imposed due to alleged rights abuses had Maduro calling the United States stupid. "It's hardly worth responding to the stupid things the imperialist elites in the north do. They can keep their threats and stupidities," the 51-year-old successor to late socialist leader Hugo Chávez added.

Demonstrations against the Venezuelan government that began in February have led to forty-two deaths, 800 injuries, and 3000 arrests. Maduro has claimed the arrests were to suppress an attempted coup, but opponents say it is a repressive action. 

President Obama and U.S. government has stated that sanctions may cause more harm than good, and might further prevent political reconciliation. 

Tess Godhardt

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/10/venezuela-nicolas-maduro-us-sanctions