Cuba supports Venezuela on 'No More Trump' campaign

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Cuba gathered more than a half-million signatures to show solidarity with Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in an anti-U.S. campaign launched in early August to stand against Washington.

Venezuela's Ambassador to Cuba Adam Chavez Frias thanked Cubans on Tuesday for their support with the signatures, saying shows "the solidarity, commitment and brotherhood" toward two countries which consolidated "the friendship that existed between Commanders Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez,” according to Cuban daily Granma newspaper.

The the targeted number of signatures, 13 million, has already been collected, he said, while people from other countries, including Bolivia and Nicaragua, also accompanied the progress.

"We will continue to fight for our freedom, sovereignty, for the real brotherhood among our peoples, for true national identity, for dignity and peace in our [Latin America] and in the world," said Chavez Frias.

The signatures for the "No More Trump" campaign will be submitted to the UN General Assembly meetings in New York where Venezuela will urge Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to make a statement on the White House's coercive sanctions.

Washington's move earlier in August to freeze all assets of the Venezuelan government was a significant escalation of tensions with the South American nation.

The U.S. administration has been focusing on economic and diplomatic pressure against Maduro, including imposing sanctions against him, his top officials and several governmental departments as it seeks to increase pressure on Caracas.

Venezuela's economy has been in precipitous decline following a global downturn in the price of crude oil, the country's main export, while the ongoing political unrest also affects the country's financial stability.

Since the beginning of the year, Venezuela has been embroiled in political unrest as Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido engage in a power battle.

Nearly 5,000 people leave Venezuela every day because of "instability and uncertainty" amid a crisis focused on the presidency and economy, and 3 million Venezuelans have already left the country since 2015, according to the UN's refugee agency.