Venezuela's opposition-controlled Congress criticized Japan's Nomura Securities Co. Ltd. for buying about $100.0 million worth of state oil company bonds, alleging this will aid the "authoritarian regime" of President Nicolas Maduro.

Citing two sources, Reuters said Nomura purchased about $30.0 million for the bonds issued by Petróleos de Venezuela SA, which are part of a controversial purchase of $2.8 billion of bonds by Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

In a letter to Nomura CEO Koji Nagai, National Assembly president Julio Borges said Maduro plans to use at least $300.0 million bought from the Japanese company and from Goldman Sachs to fund the purchase of weapons and other military equipment, notably from Russia.

Borges warned the Japanese company it would be "dealing with criminals" in funding the Venezuelan government's arms purchase, adding "various Venezuelan military leaders have been named as participants in drug trafficking networks" in the region.

The Venezuelan opposition has been calling on Wall Street firms to refrain from funding Maduro's government, charging that it has abused its authority and violated human rights.