MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Thousands march in support of Maduro chanting “Yankee go home”

Made up mostly of civilian militia and public sector employees, the crowd chanted: “Yankee go home,” and “Hands off Venezuela.”

Thousands of supporters of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro marched through the capital Caracas on Wednesday in protest against attempts by US President Donald Trump to asphyxiate the ruling regime.

Dressed in red and carrying the tricolor Venezuelan flag, the protesters gathered at a stage in the center of the capital to listen to some of the ruling regime's top officials.

The demonstration followed 48 hours during which Washington threatened to “use every appropriate tool” to oust Maduro, ordered a freeze on Venezuelan government assets in the US and barred transactions with its authorities.

“It's a new aggression amongst the madness of genocides that govern the United States,” said Diosdado Cabello, the second most powerful regime figure behind Maduro.

“What they have done is to increase the people's suffering, including the opposition.”

Made up mostly of civilian militia and public sector employees, the crowd chanted: “Yankee go home,” and “Hands off Venezuela.”

Trump's measures were just the latest in a string of sanctions imposed on the Maduro regime in a bid to force the socialist leader from power in favor of opposition leader Juan Guaido.

The US is one of more than 50 countries to have recognized Guaido's claim to be acting president.

China responded to the sanctions by telling the US to stop “bullying” other countries.