WILLEMSTAD - Curaçao, which is to become the "logistic hub" for humanitarian aid, will not be attacked by Venezuela. "Never! If there is a military attack from the United States, we will defend ourselves. But Venezuela will never attack a neighboring country."

This is according to a statement made by the Venezuelan Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Yvan Gil, who was visiting the Netherlands for an interview with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Last week it was announced that the Netherlands would provide assistance to Venezuela via Curaçao. The government responds to a request from opposition leader Juan Guaidó and the U.S. Venezuela is in a deep economic crisis and is facing major shortages of food and medicines.

Gil calls this plan pure propaganda. The fact that other countries speak of a humanitarian catastrophe, is only so that they can later justify a military intervention. "If Curaçao and the Netherlands want to create a 'hub' to destabilize Venezuela, we will not accept it. That is what we have said today to the Dutch ministry."

According to Gil, his country is not in a humanitarian crisis and Venezuela can only declare that state of crisis itself. According to him, there is an economic crisis. "If the Netherlands really wants to help, it has to lift the sanctions." The State Secretary is referring to the economic and financial sanctions of the US and the EU, which makes Venezuelan trade with foreign countries very difficult.

'No 3 million refugees'

According to official UN figures, 3 million Venezuelans fled the country. But this Gil also denies. "Some people, not millions, have emigrated."