CARACAS, Venezuela.- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza rejected the statements of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who described as public waste the military cooperation between Russia and the South American nation.

In a message posted on Twitter, the Bolivarian diplomat considered the official’s reaction as disrespectful and cynical, while reminding the presence of 800 US military bases in 70 countries.

Arreaza said that Washington questions the sovereign right to cooperation in defense and security of the nation with other countries, while President Donald Trump himself threatens Venezuela with a military aggression.

For his part, the Russian Government’s press secretary, Dmitri Peskov, also considered Pompeo´s allegations as undiplomatic, international media reported.