Venezuela rejects US insolent interference in internal affairs

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez on Friday rejected what she said U.S. "insolent interference" in her country's internal affairs.

"Venezuela rejects the aggression and offenses contained in U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's press release, which interferes in our internal affairs," the minister wrote on her Twitter account.

In the press release, Kerry expressed the U.S. government's "deep concern" over the sentencing of opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez on Thursday.

Lopez, former leader of right-wing Popular Will party, was sentenced to 13 years, nine months and seven days in jail for alleged public incitement of violence, damage to property, fire-starting and criminal association.

Kerry's press release called the charges against Lopez unlawful.

The Venezuelan minister had a telephone conversation with Kerry where she expressed that "the rule of law in Venezuela does not involve any other country."

Rodriguez, who was in New York on Friday for a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, criticized Washington's double standards.

"The United States persists in destabilizing legitimate and constitutional governments by employing terrorist agents and violence," added Rodriguez.

Source: XINHUA