La Paz - The economic ''strangulation'' measures the United States is currently applying against Venezuela have already killed 40,000 citizens, Minister of the Presidency, Juan Ramon Quintana, stated at the La Paz International Book Fair.

'It cannot be that a powerful country such as the United States deprives the Venezuelan society of something as fundamental as food, and currently also deprives its people of medicines, basic supplies, and has caused the death of more than 40,000 citizens in recent years,' Quintana said.

The minister spoke Wednesday night at the launch of the book 'America Latina en el proyecto de domination de Estados Unidos. Pautas y perspectivas en el siglo XXI' (Latin America in the domination project of the United States. Patterns and perspectives in the 21st century), a compilation of essays edited by the Plurinational Public Management School (EGPP).

During his speech in the Chuquiago Marka fairground's Emma Villazon Hall, the minister explained that the chapter he wrote for the book addresses from different perspectives the changes underway in Latin America in its relationship with Washington.

Quintana, who is also coordinator of the book 'BoliviaLeaks' with documents on US political interference against the country's Process of Change (2006-2010), noted that with the launch of the new volume, the EGPP opens the possibility of establishing an observatory, as a research center endowed with a solid library.

The volume includes texts by researchers Esteban Morales, Loreta Telleria, Luis Suarez Salazar, Jorge Hernandez, Juan Ramon Quintana and Yasmin Barbara Vasquez.