US vows further action against Venezuela's 'bad actors' barring changes

The revolutionary government has significantly eroded the political and economic hegemony the USA had over Venezuelan oil, which holds one of the largest petroleum reserves in the world.

Maikel Moreno, the president of Venezuela's Supreme Court, and among those sanctioned by the US government, said Friday that Trump's executive order was an attempt to impose its authority over Venezuela's institutions and compromise the judicial branch's independence.

Anti-government protesters make their way to the Interior Ministry, before clashing with National Guards who blocked them in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Perez Wednesday said Maduro had been given assurances by Stuart that "he will never act against the Venezuelan people". Demonstrators are demanding new elections and blaming Maduro for the nation's triple-digit inflation, rising crimes and vast food shortages.

"It is unspeakable for a couple of dictators, a couple of messianic populist leaders, to destroy a great nation, a great economy, in such a short time", said Fox, referring to Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro also said in comments to a televised cabinet meeting late on Tuesday that planned opposition rallies in Caracas on Wednesday evening were reminiscent of rallies during the rise of Nazism and fascism in pre-World War Two Europe.

At least 90 people were arrested during Monday's unrest, according to a local rights group.

"We've been down this road - with Syria, with North Korea, with South Sudan, with Burundi, with Burma".

"The United States has shed light on the plan it is leading to intervene in Venezuela", she said.

"The Venezuelan people are suffering from a collapsing economy brought about by their government's mismanagement and corruption", Steven Mnuchin, the United States treasury secretary, said in a statement.

"We will never be a threat against the peace and security in worldwide or the regional level", he insisted.

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez, however, said on Twitter that the United States was out to topple the Venezuelan government. Venezuela officially notified the OAS on April 28 that it intends to quit the regional group.

Among the roughly 100,000 national security officers protecting the Venezuelan government by squelching street violence, there are signs of fatigue.

"We will not let the homeland fall into chaos", he said.

Ramirez dismissed Britain, saying it was following the U.S.

But Jose Colina, who founded and directs the Organization of Venezuelans in Exile, said the public humiliations are a form of "justice".

Bolivia's United Nations ambassador Sacha Sergio Llorentty Soliz, a member of the Security Council, agreed with Ramirez, telling reporters: "This meeting, instead of helping solve the problem, it will really be an obstacle".

"We can not lose any opportunity to help mediate" in Venezuela's current crisis, Jungmann said.

"Venezuela will resolve its own internal problems".

There was no statement from the council after the meeting, reflecting the division among members.