Venezuela's Maduro cuts ties with US amid turmoil

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro severed diplomatic ties with the United States on Wednesday after Washington recognized the South American country's opposition leader as interim president.

Maduro told supporters in the capital Caracas that he decided to cut off diplomatic and political relations with the US, and he accused Washington of orchestrating "an operation to impose, through a coup d'etat, a puppet regime in Venezuela".

He said there is "enough interventionism" in the country, and he ordered all US diplomatic and consular personnel to leave the country within 72 hours. The remarks came after US President Donald Trump recognized Juan Guaido, Venezuela's opposition leader, as interim president.