Maduro blasts expanded U.S. decree labelling Venezuela a security threat

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Saturday his government would continue denouncing a recently renewed U.S. decree calling his country a security threat.

Maduro stated that the decree, first put in place in March 2015 and prolonged for another year on March 4, "is an extraordinary threat" to Venezuela's national security.

During an "anti-imperialist mobilization" on Saturday in Caracas, Maduro called on Obama to halt the decree, saying he "would denounce it until the blessed day...when this decree is rectified."

Speaking to hundreds of supporters in central Caracas, Maduro said the renewal of the decree "gave a green light to terrorists in Venezuela," referring to actions by opposition lawmakers who were trying to overthrow his government.

As part of a national protest against the U.S. decision to renew the decree, Maduro called on Venezuelans to join marches from March 16-18 across the country to manifest their anger toward the United States.

Upon hearing the renewal of the decree, Venezuela withdrew its top diplomat in the United States, Maximilien Arvelaiz, who had been waiting for 18 months to be accepted as ambassador to the United States.

Venezuela and the United States haven't exchanged ambassadors since 2010 and Arvelaiz was Venezuela's acting charge d'affaires in the U.S. capital. Endi