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Activists vow to stay inside Venezuelan embassy

Published:Wednesday | May 15, 2019 | 12:09 AM
An activist who supports Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro stands by the window of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington on Monday, May 13, 2019. AP
An activist who supports Venezuelan Nicolás Maduro stands by the window of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington on Monday, May 13, 2019. AP

WASHINGTON (AP):

Activists who have staged a protest inside the Venezuelan embassy for 35 days say they plan to stay put hours after law enforcement informed them that they were trespassing on embassy property.

“We are not following the order. It is illegal,” activist Kevin Zeese told reporters Tuesday from a window on the second floor of the building.

Zeese said there are a total of four people, but only two other people came to the window. He said they have sufficient food and water to continue their protest.

The activists have been living inside the embassy because they consider Nicolás Maduro the legitimate president of Venezuela. The United States and 50 other countries say Maduro’s re-election was fraudulent and have recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s interim president.