Spanish foreign minister Josep Borrell branded the move an “abuse of power” and went on to accuse Donald Trump of “acting like a cowboy” over his stance on Venezuela. The row erupted when the US conformed it would begin enforcing a provision of the 1996 Helms-Burton Act allowing Cuban-Americans to sue in US courts over property confiscated by Cuba’s communist regime.

We don’t want someone who draws their weapon

Josep Borrell

Mr Borrell said: “This is further proof of a lack of cooperation on the part of the US administration and the adoption of extra-territorial measures which, according to us, are an abuse of power which we oppose.

“This is going to open a legal battle, we will go to the World Trade Organization.”

European Union chiefs have already warned they will challenge the Cuba action, claiming the move would trigger an unending chain of countersuits against US companies operating in Europe.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström wrote to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging a rethink.

They said: “We believe that the issue of outstanding US claims should not be conflated with the cause of furthering democracy and human rights in Cuba, or by our shared desire urgently to find a peaceful and democratic solution to the crisis in Venezuela.”

Washington has also enraged Madrid over its implied threat of military intervention in Venezuela.

Spain wants to establish a group of EU and Latin American governments to seek President Nicolás Maduro’s agreement to hold new elections.

Mr Borrell said: ”The contact group which we are part of is not on the same wavelength as the US administration, which is like a cowboy who says ‘look at me, I will draw my gun’.

“We don’t want someone who draws their weapon. On the contrary, we call for a peaceful, negotiated and democratic solution.”

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