Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez: Nicolas Maduro Remains President

JAKARTA - Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez on Saturday (3/1) confirmed that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro remains the only leader of the country.

"There is only one president in this country, his name is Nicolas Maduro Moros," the vice president said at a meeting of the Defense Council following the US operation.

Vice President Rodriguez also urged that President Maduro and his wife, Silia Flores, be returned to Caracas.

He said that what happened in Venezuela on Saturday could have happened to any country in the region.

"We ask the countries in the Great Homeland to unite. What is being done against Venezuela today can happen to any country in the region. The use of this force can be directed at any country," said the vice president.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that the US had launched a massive attack on Venezuela and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been arrested and flown out of the country.

Local media reported a number of explosions in Caracas and claimed that the operation was carried out by members of the elite Delta Force unit.

Venezuelan authorities claimed they did not know where Maduro was and asked the US to provide evidence that he was still alive. Trump then published a photo he claimed showed Maduro on board a US ship.

In response to the situation, the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced its plans to appeal to international organizations for Washington's actions and urged the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the US attack on Venezuela.