Moscow, May 7 (RHC)-- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza denounced on Monday the criminal blockade that has been imposed by the United States and its allies against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

According to the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, the U.S.-led blockade "seeks to stifle the Venezuelan economy ... More than 5 billion Euros, also gold, are blocked in the international banking structures."

"Venezuelan gold equivalent to 1.359 billion Euros is blocked at the Bank of England, 1.043 billion Euros are blocked at Novo Banco for PDVSA, part of that money is used to pay for the treatment of 26 patients needing bone marrow transplants," Arreaza said.

The "U.S. criminal blockade against Venezuela seeks a leadership change in the Venezuelan government through the suffering of the people," the Venezuelan Foreign Minister said during his press conference following his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Arreaza pointed out that while Venezuela does not pose a threat to the people of the United States, they will not hesitate to defend themselves from any military intervention.

"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela does not represent a threat to the United States, but also in the case of a military intervention, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces and the People of Venezuela are prepared to defend sovereignty," Arreaza said.  "We are creating alternate routes with Russia, China and other friends in order to face this economic blockade. Even the ships that carry the oil to Cuba are being sanctioned; it is a criminal blockade."

Venezuela has been under an inhuman blockade that was imposed by the Trump administration earlier this year. The Trump administration has attempted to prop up the self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaido using different economic measures to harm the people of the Bolivarian Republic.