Maduro Puts Responsibility for Venezuela's Currency Drop on US

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has blamed the weakness of the national currency, the bolivar, on the United States.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Maduro said Friday that Washington coordinated an attack on the bolivar.

"Our currency is being attacked from Cúcuta, they are attacking the currency by order of Washington with Dolar Today," Maduro said on Friday.

Dolar Today is a website that monitors currency rates, demonstrating a sharp difference between the "black market" bolivar to dollar rate and the official data of the Venezuelan government provided by the SIMADI system.

On Friday, the dollar was at 2,900 Venezuelan bolivars on Dolar Today, while the SIMADI rate was 660 bolivars.

Public support for Maduro has dropped to record low levels as falling oil prices have strained Venezuela’s budget and sparked high inflation and shortages of goods.

On October 25, Venezuela’s opposition-dominated National Assembly voted in favor of beginning impeachment proceedings against Maduro.

Maduro accused the National Assembly of a coup. Maduro’s relations with the National Assembly strained after the parliament became opposition – led in January.