ANKARA (Sputnik) - Turkey opposes Washington's decision to introduce new restrictive measures in relation to the assets of the Venezuelan authorities, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said on Friday.

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order blocking the assets of Venezuela’s government that fall within US jurisdiction, including those belonging to the country’s central bank and the PDVSA oil company. It also authorizes sanctions against anyone supporting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"We disapprove the US Executive Order 'Blocking Property of the Government of Venezuela' envisaging comprehensive sanctions on Venezuela. ... We are concerned that the said executive order will worsen the economic hardship already faced by the Venezuelan people and negatively impact the initiatives aimed at finding a political solution in Venezuela," Aksoy said in a statement.

It is noted that the decree was signed on August 5, during the negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition in Barbados with the assistance of Norway.

Turkey believes that in order to find the best solution to the Venezuela crisis, all parties should continue to contribute to the process of political dialogue, the spokesman concluded.

Venezuela has long been suffering from a humanitarian and political crisis that intensified in January when, after disputing Maduro's re-election, US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido illegally declared himself the country’s interim president. The United States and some other countries have recognized Guaido. Turkey, as well as China, Cuba, Bolivia, Russia and a number of other countries have said they recognize Maduro as the only legitimate president of Venezuela.