WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, announced on Wednesday that the US will keep its diplomatic staff in Venezuela, thus ignoring dictator Nicolás Maduro’s pronouncement, while urging the Venezuelan Armed Forces to protect them.

Pompeo said in a statement that Maduro, whom he called an “ex-president,” “does not have the legal authority to break relations with the US.

This Wednesday, after the US recognized Juan Guaidó as president in charge of Venezuela, Maduro announced that he had decided to break diplomatic and political relations with the United States.

Maduro also said he would proceed to sign a diplomatic note giving the US diplomatic and consular staff 72 hours to leave the country.

President Donald Trump intensified on Wednesday the pressure against the Venezuelan dictator by recognizing Guaidó as the legitimate President of Venezuela.

Trump was the first president to recognize Guaidó as the legitimate president of the Caribbean country, minutes after the head of the Venezuelan National Assembly proclaimed himself president in charge of the nation and accused Maduro of “usurping” the executive power.

Other countries, including Canada, Brazil and Argentina, also have recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s president.

“Today, I officially recognize the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, as the interim president of Venezuela,” Trump said in a statement.