Over 8 mln signatures collected against Obama's "security threat" decree: Venezuelan president

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday said more than 8 million people have signed on a petition demanding U.S. President Barack Obama repeal a decree that dubs the South American country a security threat.

"Thanks to the entire country, we are toward the victory of peace," Maduro said on Twitter of the campaign, which seeks to collect 10 million signatures and deliver them to Obama later this week.

The presidents of the two American foes are set to meet at the Organization of American States summit to be held on Friday and Saturday in Panama.

The signature campaign was launched after Obama signed a decree on March 9 declaring Venezuela as "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and foreign policy.

As a tit-for-tat, Maduro later designated March 9 a "Bolivarian Anti-Imperialism Day."

Venezuelan officials said the drive has collected signatures from many people outside Venezuela, and has also gained the support of several regional organizations.

Venezuela-U.S. ties have further deteriorated over the last few months. Maduro accused Washington of working with local opposition to stage a coup to topple him, but the United States called the accusation "ridiculous."

The two nations have not had ambassadors in each other's capitals for years, despite their stable commercial relations. Endi