Caracas, Oct 25 (NationPress) The Venezuelan military firmly rejects any administration that bends to U.S. interests, as articulated by Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez during his visit to a military hospital in Caracas. "The Bolivarian National Armed Forces will not tolerate a government that is submissive, enslaved, or prostrate before the United States," Padrino Lopez asserted on Friday, as reported by state broadcaster Venezolana de Televisión.

He urged citizens to recall that numerous opposition figures have previously advocated for foreign intervention and sanctions against Venezuela, according to reports from Xinhua.

While acknowledging the essential role of the opposition in a democratic society, he expressed concerns about perceived threats from U.S. military actions, especially in the Caribbean.

Padrino Lopez condemned the recent U.S. operations near Venezuelan waters, claiming they have intimidated local fishermen, labeling the situation as "the greatest threat in a century."

Despite rising tensions, Lopez reaffirmed Venezuela's commitment to peace, stating, "We desire tranquility."

Earlier, Venezuela criticized U.S. sanctions targeting Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his associates, branding the measures as illegal and neocolonial.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry stated that the unilateral coercive actions from the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control contravene international law and violate the principles outlined in the United Nations Charter.

According to the statement, "These coercive measures are acts of political aggression and pressure prohibited by the multilateral system," noting that they have faced condemnation from the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, and various special rapporteurs.

The Venezuelan government accused Washington of attempting to criminalize Petro and destabilize Colombia as part of a larger strategy to undermine the sovereignty of independent Latin American and Caribbean nations.

Caracas demands an immediate cessation of these coercive measures and calls for solidarity among Latin American and Caribbean governments and peoples to defend regional sovereignty and independence.

Earlier, the U.S. Treasury added Petro, his wife Veronica Alcocer, his son Nicolas Petro, and Colombia's Interior Minister Armando Benedetti to its sanctions list, citing alleged connections to narcotics trafficking.