CARACAS, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The United States government is carrying out a new campaign of "stigmatization and criminalization" against Venezuelans, the South American country denounced on Thursday.

The "stigmatization" campaign is evident in a "new attack that restricts the issuance and validity of visas for Venezuelan citizens, without any justification and with obvious political purposes," Venezuela's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

"This operation has been promoted by the current Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, an official marked by his well-known hatred of the Venezuelan people," the ministry added.

Venezuela's government reiterated its "unwavering commitment to defending the rights and interests of Venezuelans in any part of the world."

The ministry also ratified a maximum travel alert for citizens planning to travel to the United States or residing in the United States.

"What happened is not an isolated incident, but rather a new demonstration of the visceral hatred for the Venezuelan people that drives those who currently conduct Washington's foreign policy," it added.

The U.S. government announced it was restricting visas to nationals from several countries, including Venezuela. ■