Venezuela slams US travel ban, calls for talks

Caracas: Venezuela's government on Monday criticised the White House decision to impose a travel ban against its citizens, and called for a dialogue to overcome their ideological differences.

"Venezuela categorically rejects the irrational decision by the US government to once again categorise the Venezuelan people as a threat to national security ... under the false pretense that they pose a terrorist threat," Xinhua quoted a statement from the government.

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump extended a travel ban against five mostly Muslim countries (Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Somalia) to include citizens from Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Chad and Venezuela. A statement issued by the WH said Trump was keeping his campaign promise to strengthen security standards.