Under Sanctions, Venezuela Draws Inspiration From Ho Chi Minh

(Bloomberg) -- Venezuela Socialist Party Vice President Diosdado Cabello called former Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh “an example,” at a ceremony in downtown Caracas commemorating the 50th anniversary of his death.

“Today our people face similar conditions to those faced by the Vietnamese people,” said Cabello, who wore a traditional hat for most of the ceremony. “We might not be bombarded, but we’re in a new war of misinformation, lies and manipulation, on top of the economic blockade and the theft of our assets.”

The U.S. has imposed a series of incremental sanctions on Venezuela, recently issuing an executive order to step up pressure on the regime of Nicolas Maduro. While Vietnam retains communist elements and was once a U.S. military enemy, both nations are now partners in trade, as Hanoi has pursued market-led economic reforms, downsized its military and opened itself to the world.

“We are willing to help Venezuela in its fight for freedom against the economic war,” Vietnam’s Ambassador to Venezuela Dao Thanh Chung said at Tuesday’s event. “The thinking of our president Ho Chi Minh can be a light in our fight for this country’s freedom.”

--With assistance from Alex Vasquez.

To contact the reporter on this story: Patricia Laya in Caracas at playa2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Cancel at dcancel@bloomberg.net, Robert Jameson

©2019 Bloomberg L.P.