Venezuelan president says Summit of Americas to mark "new historic era"

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday the upcoming Summit of the Americas will mark a "new historic era" in Latin America-U.S. ties.

"We will seek a new era of relations without empires, (without) U.S. meddling in our nation's domestic affairs, (with) more independence and Latin American identity," Maduro said ahead of the 7th Summit of the Organization of American States, to be held Friday and Saturday in Panama.

In his weekly TV program, Maduro said the summit was created to "colonize" the Americas and put an end to the Cuban Revolution.

"However, just the opposite has happened. Our governments, despite different ideologies, are integrated and united for independence, development and sovereignty," he said.

The president called Cuba's participation in the summit "a sign that times have changed."

"Cuba's arrival is a result of the union and integration in the region, not a concession to the United States," he said.

Scheduled to meet with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in Panama, Maduro also plans to present 10 million signatures at the summit, a petition demanding Washington repeal an executive order declaring Venezuela a security threat.

"Obama will receive the unanimous condemnation of the Americas against this type of conduct," Maduro said.

Earlier in the day, Obama's senior adviser Ricardo Zuniga downplayed the expressions labeling Venezuela a national security threat during a press briefing on Obama's upcoming visit.

"I welcome these statements made by Obama's advisers, and we are interested in friendly relations based on respect for our ideas of a democratic and peaceful revolution," Maduro said. Endi