Venezuelans protest sanctions, illegal seizures of nation's assets

CARACAS, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of Venezuelans marched through the streets of the capital Caracas on Tuesday to protest U.S.-led sanctions and illegal seizures of the nation's financial and nonfinancial assets.

About 10,000 protesters took part in the demonstration called by the government to press for the recovery of the assets, the transportation minister and president of state-run airline Conviasa, Ramon Velasquez Araguayan, told the publicly-owned Venezolana de Television.

"We are going to march to the National Assembly (Congress) to offer a forceful demonstration by the Venezuelan people," he said, adding they will continue to mobilize until all seized assets are returned.

Among the assets is a plane belonging to Venezuelan company Emtrasur that was "illegally" impounded in Argentina due to an order issued by a U.S. judge, said Velasquez, adding the aircraft must be returned.

Venezuelan accounts at international banks have also been seized, he said.

Protester Irma Gomez told Venezolana de Television that as workers, "we ask the U.S. government to give us back what is ours. We do not agree with them continuing to take away from us what we have achieved through so much struggle."

Earlier in the day, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said via Twitter: "Venezuela marches today #9Ago to defend and recover illegally confiscated and held national assets."

On Monday, the president said the march would be the starting point of a "great campaign" to recover the nation's assets.