Maduro slams Obama for trying to topple his gov't

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Monday that the U.S. President Barack Obama has decided to topple his government and force a military intervention in this nation with the approval of sanctions and political measures.

"President Barack Obama, representing the U.S. imperialist elite, has personally decided to take on the task of defeating my government and intervening in Venezuela to control it," Maduro said in a national TV address Monday night.

Earlier Monday, Obama signed an executive order imposing additional sanctions on seven current and former Venezuelan officials over alleged human rights abuses and corruption.

The order bars the Venezuelan individuals -- all of whom are or were part of Venezuela's security apparatus -- from entering the United States, freezes any assets they may have there and prohibits Americans from doing business with them.

This is the third group of sanctions Washington imposed on Caracas' officials in less than four months.

"Obama has taken the most unfair and aggressive step Washington has ever taken toward Venezuela," Maduro said.

He also hailed the seven officials sanctioned by the White House as "heroes," and named national intelligence chief Gustavo Gonzalez as new Interior Minister.

On Tuesday, the Venezuelan president said he would ask the National Assembly, controlled by the ruling Socialists, to grant him decree powers to guarantee the "peace" of the nation and fight imperialism.

Earlier Monday, Obama also declared a "state of emergency," citing the situation in Venezuela constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and the U.S. will take "further steps" in its relation with Venezuela.

As counter measures, Maduro announced the reduction of U.S. embassy personnel in Caracas, a new visa system for all American tourists in Venezuela and an "anti-terrorist" list which banned several top U.S. politicians to enter this South American nation.

Washington said last week it would respond through diplomatic channels to these measures.

Commercial ties between Venezuela and the United States have, however, been largely unaffected by these political tensions, which were common after late President Hugo Chavez came to power.

The United States is Venezuela's top trading partner and the South American nation in 2014 remained the fourth-largest oil supplier to the United States, with an average of 733,000 barrels per day. Endi