President Emmerson Mnangagwa criticized the renewed U.S. sanctions against Zimbabwe, which he described as illegal, and asked that country's ambassador to Harare to convey Washington a correct assessment of the situation in this African nation.

President Mnangagwa quoted U.S. ambassador Brian Nicholson yesterday to express his disagreement with these sanctions and reiterate that his government will be focused on developing the country and safeguarding peace, official sources confirmed today .

The meeting with Nicholson took place some days after President Donald Trump signed into law the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act, which toughens measures against the country.

Mnangagwa said that the new ambassador, who presented his credentials last month, should have an adequate understanding of the political events in this State. We exchanged viewpoints and my views about the current outlook in Zimbabwe and the efforts we are making to move the country forward, Mnangagwa said.

The U.S. diplomat admitted that Zimbabwe has registered in the last nine months a positive development, although he strongly denounced the violent incidents occurred in this capital on August 1.

These acts of violence, which killed six people and caused millionaire damage to property, were promoted by supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MCD), led by Nelson Chamisa, who lost the general elections that gave the victory to Mnangagwa.

Consulted by the press in this capital, Nicholson justified the signing of the document of sanctions by President Trump, because in his opinion, it is in accordance with the reality in Zimbabwe and favors reforms in areas of democracy, human rights, economic reforms and respect for the law. –Prensa Latina