Roundup: Venezuelans march in solidarity with gov't

Venezuelans of all ages and backgrounds took part in a solidarity march Thursday in support of sovereignty and against U.S. interference in national affairs.

Dressed in the national flag, supporters of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government took to the streets in the capital Caracas and cities throughout the country's 23 states.

Addressing a crowd gathered outside the national palace in Caracas, Maduro hailed the people for uniting in the face of renewed U.S. sanctions and measures against the leftist government.

"The biggest guarantee that the imperialist boot will not step on Venezuelan soil is the unity of the Venezuelan people," he said.

"The most extraordinary thing seen today in Venezuela and around the world is the reaction of the Venezuelan people, who have taken to the streets to defend their rights to sovereignty and peace," he added.

At the central Plaza Venezuela in Caracas, Adriana Blanco, a young member of the leftist party Redes, told Xinhua that she joined the march aware of the "historic moment" that Venezuela is currently living.

"We are willing to fight ... to preserve the sovereignty of our country," she said.

Felix Camacho, a retired teacher, echoed those sentiments, saying, "We are fighting alongside President Nicolas Maduro and the legacy of (his predecessor) commandant Hugo Chavez ... In Venezuela there's quite a lot of courage to defend this country."

On Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama escalated tensions between the two countries by declaring a national emergency and signing an executive order to impose additional sanctions against several current and former Venezuelan officials over alleged human rights abuses and corruption.

"The situation in Venezuela ... constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat," Obama said.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said Wednesday that the United States is laying the legal groundwork to go to war with Venezuela.

Fernando Padron, manager of an oil refinery for the state oil giant PDVSA, said Washington was motivated by oil since its crude reserves are expected to last for only another 11 years, while Venezuela is sitting on enough crude to last for the next 300 years.

"They want to take over our oil, which today belongs to the people," said Padron.

In Montevideo, former Uruguayan President Jose Mujica said he had no doubts that the United States was attempting to interfere in Venezuela's internal affairs, mainly by funneling millions of dollars to the right-wing opposition.

"I have no information or proof that the Americans are meddling, (but) since they meddle everywhere, it would be news if they weren't meddling," he said on radio program "FM Gente".

Mujica, whose presidential term ended on March 1, acknowledged that Venezuela is struggling with economic problems, but said it was a matter for Venezuelans to solve.

"Leave them alone," he said, in a message directed at the United States. "Whenever there's foreign interference it's worse. Look at what happened in Libya (and) in every other place!" Endi