Venezuela says it will make debt payments despite 'difficulties'

Venezuela will make all pending debt payments despite “a series of difficulties” that have arisen as a result of financial sanctions by the United States, Economy Vice President Ramon Lobo told reporters on Thursday. The United States in August prohibited dealings in new debt from Venezuela and state oil company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL] in response to the creation of a new legislative superbody that critics call the consolidation of a dictatorship. More…