South Africa’s U.N. ambassador says U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has asked to discuss the political situation in Venezuela with the U.N. Security Council in closed consultations on Saturday morning. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke during an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States today. Watch his remarks in the player above. Jerry Matjila told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York on Thursday that the council would discuss whether the situation in Venezuela poses a threat to international peace and security. Venezuela is not on the Security Council agenda and the U.S. needs the support of at least nine of the 15 council nations to hold a meeting. Before Matjila spoke, Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters he didn’t think such a meeting was required. U.S. will conduct diplomatic relations with #Venezuela through the government of interim President Guaido. U.S. does not recognize the #Maduro regime. U.S. does not consider former president Maduro to have the legal authority to break diplomatic relations. https://t.co/DBS4GiGEWI pic.twitter.com/gQZJuS1xfn — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 24, 2019 U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday recognized National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president, leading President Nicolas Maduro to demand that all U.S. diplomats leave the country in 72 hours. Pompeo told the diplomats to stay because the U.S. doesn’t recognize Maduro. Matjila said South Africa still recognizes the Maduro government. He called the situation in Venezuela “very delicate,” and encouraged Venezuelans “to sit together and discuss among themselves to see what they can do.” READ MORE: Maduro faces off with U.S. over Venezuela rival’s power claim<doc-sep>The Daily Beast NBCSeth Meyers on Wednesday reacted to the recent news that the Manhattan District Attorney’s office has convened a grand jury to consider issuing indictments in the investigation into former President Donald Trump’s business dealings.Meyers began by drawing a throughline from this case to all the other figures in Trump’s orbit who ended up in trouble with the law.“It’s just basic logic that if you’re surrounded at all times by that many criminals, there’s a solid chance you’re also a criminal,” Meyers said. He then likened Trump’s situation to that of the frontman of a band denying that he’s actually in a band.Still, Meyers said he wouldn’t be surprised if the ex-president emerges relatively unscathed.“Trump always manages to wriggle out of a jam,” the late-night host said. “He’s like the David Blaine of crime. If he ever goes to trial, he’ll just regurgitate a frog that has ‘Not Guilty’ written on its back. If the feds ever come for him, he’ll hide out in a glass box over the [River] Thames.”But if Trump himself may end up OK, that might not be the case for his family.Meyers said he would “totally believe” it if this investigation caused Trump to throw those close to him under the bus. “You think he named his eldest son after himself for sentimental reasons?” Meyers asked. “He did it so there would be a second Donald Trump to pin the blame on.”Commentators have also been discussing the likelihood that Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg will flip on Trump.“I’m guessing when you work for Trump, you start thinking about flipping as soon as you get the gig,” Meyers said. “It’s like when you’re in the middle of a job interview at Little Caesars and you’re already fantasizing about how you’re going to quit.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.<doc-sep>Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Mike PompeoThe Memo: Media face hard questions on Trump, Wuhan lab Trump on Wuhan lab: Now everyone agrees 'I was right' With denuclearization stalled, Biden should focus on human rights reform in North Korea MORE on Saturday issued an ultimatum to the international community to support Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the country's interim president over Nicolás Maduro. “The time is now to support the Venezuelan people, to recognize the new democratic government led by interim President Guaidó, and end this nightmare. No excuses,” Pompeo told the United Nations Security Council. “And now it’s time for every other nation to pick a side. No more delays, no more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem.” . @SecPompeo: Now it is time for every other nation to pick a side. No more delays, no more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem. #EstamosUnidosVE pic.twitter.com/QRpXqdN07V — Department of State (@StateDept) January 26, 2019 The comments come amid an escalating political crisis in Venezuela, as the Trump administration this week recognized Guaidó, the president of Venezuela's National Assembly, as Venezuela’s interim president. Canada, the Organization of American States, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia all followed suit. ADVERTISEMENT However, Maduro, whom Washington has slammed as a dictator whose policies have fueled food and medicine shortages in the country, has vowed to hold onto power. He was sworn in for a second six-year term earlier this month, but much of the international community, including the U.S., declared his election illegitimate. Pompeo on Saturday called out countries that still support Maduro, suggesting their support was a reflection of authoritarianism back at home. “Some countries have publicly taken former President Maduro’s side. China, Russia, Syria, and Iran are just four of them,” he said. “It’s not a surprise that those who rule without democracy in their own countries are trying to prop up Maduro while he is in dire straits.” The secretary of State added that he hopes “free and fair” elections will occur as soon as possible. Pompeo also issued a warning to Maduro against threatening any State Department employees in Caracas after the Venezuelan leader on Wednesday gave all U.S. diplomats 72 hours to leave the country. “President Trump Donald TrumpTrump lashes out after grand jury seated for New York criminal probe Schumer tees up vote on Jan. 6 commission bill Senators struggle to save Jan. 6 commission MORE and I fully expect that our diplomats will continue to receive protections provided under the Vienna Convention. Do not test the United States on our resolve to protect our own people,” Pompeo said. Washington ordered some diplomats to leave the country on Thursday amid security concerns over the leadership struggle. Several European nations on Saturday said they would recognize Guaidó as the country's interim president unless Maduro calls for new elections within eight days.<doc-sep>
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Venezuela's military and security forces Thursday to avoid any actions against the self-declared interim president and U.S. diplomats or risk a U.S. response. "We call on all Venezuelan security forces to ensure the protection of interim president [Juan} Guaido's physical integrity and his safety," Pompeo said at a meeting of the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C. Pompeo earlier had rejected President Nicolas Maduro's threat Wednesday to expel U.S. diplomats within 72 hours. Venezuela broke relations with the U.S. after President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. was recognizing the 35-year-old Guaido as interim president. Pompeo noted that several deaths and more than a hundred arrests were recorded in massive demonstrations in Caracas and across the country Wednesday in support of Guaido. The non-profit Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict said that at least 12 protesters were killed Wednesday, all of them by gunshots. "So I reiterate our warning about any decision by remnant elements of the Maduro regime to suppress the peaceful democratic transition," Pompeo said. There were no immediate signs that the Venezuelan military was prepared to break with Maduro as had been hoped by Guaido. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez declared the loyalty of the armed forces to Maduro and charged that Guaido was attempting to mount a coup. Padrino and several generals joined Maduro at a news conference to show support. Padrino said Venezuelans would not back a "de facto parallel government" led by Guaido, the president of the National Assembly. "It's not a war between Venezuelans that will solve our problems," he said. "It's dialogue." Maduro also received support Thursday from Russia and China, which have extensive investments in Venezuela, in moves that could possibly set up a major power struggle for influence in the region with the U.S. A Tweet from the Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had phoned Maduro Thursday and "expressed his support for the legitimate Venezuelan authorities." Following Guaido's declaration Wednesday that he would serve as interim president, Trump announced that the U.S. was recognizing him as Venezuela's leader. "The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out against Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law," he said. In 2017, Trump warned that a "military option" was possible to depose Maduro in oil-rich Venezuela, once the most prosperous nation in Latin America but now an economic ruin. The State Department has estimated that about three million Venezuelans desperate for food and medical aid have fled to neighboring countries. At a White House meeting Wednesday, Trump said in response to reporters' questions that "we're not considering anything but all options on the table. All options, always, all options are on the table." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com.