CARACAS, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela on Friday slammed U.S. sanctions imposed on Colombian President Gustavo Petro and others close to him, calling the measures illegal and "neocolonial."

In a statement, Venezuela's Foreign Ministry said the unilateral coercive actions by the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control violated international law and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

"These coercive measures constitute acts of political aggression and pressure that are prohibited by the multilateral system," the statement said, noting they have been condemned by the UN General Assembly, the Human Rights Council and various special rapporteurs.

The Venezuelan government accused Washington of attempting to criminalize Petro and destabilize Colombia as part of a broader strategy to undermine the sovereignty of independent Latin American and Caribbean nations.

Caracas demanded an immediate end to the coercive measures and called on Latin American and Caribbean governments and peoples to unite in defense of regional sovereignty and independence.

Earlier in the day, the U.S. Treasury added Petro, his wife Veronica Alcocer, his son Nicolas Petro, and Colombia's Interior Minister Armando Benedetti to its sanctions list, alleging links to narcotics trafficking.