By Staff, Agencies

The White House is demanding Venezuela reduce its relationships with China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba after capturing leader Nicolas Maduro over the weekend, ABC News and The New York Times reported.

This move, according to the news outlets, challenges China’s interests in Latin America even as the world’s two largest economies look to steady ties.

Moreover, ABC News reported that Venezuela was told to kick out the four countries and sever economic ties, citing three unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Meanwhile, Washington is pressuring interim leader Delcy Rodriguez to expel what it calls foreign "military personnel", while allowing some diplomats to remain, the New York Times reported.

While senior US officials continue to claim that the US does not aim to occupy Venezuela, President Trump has emphasized his intention to play a leading role in shaping the country’s future, largely financed through oil revenues.

In fact, the Trump administration told interim leader Delcy Rodriguez Venezuela must partner exclusively with the US on oil and favor US buyers, and plans talks with US oil firms after announcing up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil will be sent to the US.

China condemned US pressure on Venezuela to prioritize American oil interests as ‘typical bullying,’ saying Beijing’s legitimate rights in Venezuela must be protected.

On January 6, China condemned the sham trial of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the United States, describing the proceedings as a serious violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and international law.

Spokesperson Mao Ning stated that no country has the authority to enforce its domestic laws on another sovereign nation, emphasizing that the actions taken by Washington constitute an abuse of judicial power under pretexts that are misleading and unjustified, and highlighting that such measures undermine international legal norms and respect for state sovereignty.

Earlier, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticized Washington’s actions, cautioning against efforts by a single country to assume the role of “a global policeman” and an international judge, while reaffirming China’s dedication to upholding the principles of legality, state sovereignty, and the right of nations to self-determination.

Beijing further emphasized that the All-Weather Strategic Partnership between China and Venezuela remains intact despite what it characterized as rising external aggression, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry stating that cooperation between the two nations will continue uninterrupted regardless of political pressures or developments imposed from outside sources.