Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced on Wednesday that the country has cut off diplomatic relations with the United States, giving American diplomats¹ 72 hours to leave the country.

 

委内瑞拉总统尼古拉斯·马杜罗周三宣布，与美国断绝外交关系，限美国外交官72小时离境。
 

 

Earlier that day, US President Donald Trump² said that the United States had recognized Venezuelan opposition³ leader Juan Guaido as the nation's "interim⁴ president," a move that came after Nicolas Maduro was inaugurated as president of the Latin American country earlier this month.

 

"Today, I am officially recognizing the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela," Trump said in a statement issued by the White House.

 

Trump added that the United States would continue to use economic and diplomatic power to press for "the restoration of Venezuelan democracy."

 

Guaido, head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself "interim president" of Venezuela earlier Wednesday.

 

Venezuela's incumbent⁵ President Maduro was elected last year with 67.84 percent of the votes, and he was sworn in as president on Jan 10 for another six-year term.

 

Also on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reiterated⁶ in a statement that the United States would cooperate with other members of the international community to deal with the situation in Venezuela.

 

Last week, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza denounced that Pompeo led "a criminal economic blockade and an operation of international aggression⁷ against Venezuela."

点击收听单词发音