Venezuelan President Guaidó Urges China, Russia to Drop Support for Maduro

Guaido, 35, also moved to reassure China - Venezuela's main creditor and a long-time ally of the socialist regime - that he would honor bilateral agreements if successful in ousting Maduro.

A general from the Venezuelan air force has announced he no longer recognises Nicolas Maduro as the country's president, in what appears to be the highest ranking military defection to hit the regime.

In a speech to supporters, Maduro said the powerful government-controlled Constituent Assembly would debate calling elections this year for the National Assembly parliament, which is opposition-controlled.

"In any case, regardless of the political situation in this country, we hope and plan to boost our trade and economic ties and mutually beneficial cooperation", Peskov said.

Guaido swore himself in as interim president on January 23 in a direct challenge to Maduro's rule and quickly won the backing of countries in the region, but still has no control over state institutions or any functions of day-to-day governance.

Pence's trip to Miami came as the Trump administration continued to challenge Nicolas Maduro's claim to the presidency.

Russian Federation and China, among others, back Maduro, who has said National Assembly head Guaido's self-declared claim to the presidency is an attempted USA -backed coup. "They're not going to succeed in intimidating this Venezuelan family".

"This is time for action", Pence told a few hundred people at a rally in a local church, many of whom waved Venezuelan flags and shouted "Libertad!" However, Maduro said that the body needs to be "re-legitimized" as he addressed a large crowd of his supporters during a rally in Caracas.

Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio sent a tweet to the United Arab Emirates embassy in Washington on Thursday warning that anybody transporting Venezuelan gold would be subject to U.S. sanctions.

Maduro's adversaries say he has run roughshod over democratic institutions, including the opposition-run congress, and destroyed the once-buoyant economy through a corruption-riddled exchange control system and arbitrary nationalizations.

"There is no possible discussion here, Maduro has to leave", Sucre told The Associated Press on Friday in Madrid, where he is wrapping up a three-day European tour to enlist support for opposition leader Juan Guaido.

On Saturday morning, streams of marchers walked from middle-class and poor neighborhoods to gather at points across the capital of Caracas for a demonstration to demand Maduro's resignation and a transitional government that will hold new elections in the South American country.

People listen as Vice President Mike Pence speaks at Iglesia Doral Jesus Worship Center after meeting with Venezuelan exiles and community leaders on February 1, 2019 in Doral, Fla.

Maduro accuses Guaido of leading a US-backed coup, and says the United States, among other countries, are waging an economic war aimed at removing him from power.

"Power is evaporating from Maduro's hands with the passing of the hours", Sucre said.

Guaido reappeared Thursday night to address dozens of neighbors and thank them for not letting state security forces intimidate the community. "Now we see the opportunity for the reconstructive of the Venezuelan health care system", Gottenger said.