Maduro responded on Friday to US President Donald Trump’s remark from the day before, when he told reporters outside the White House he was considering a blockade of Venezuela due to the alleged “foreign involvement” of Russia, China and Iran.

“Yes, I am,” Trump said, repeating it several times before boarding a helicopter.

Samuel Moncada, Venezuela’s ambassador to the UN, has been instructed to denounce the threat to the Security Council, Maduro said, vowing that Venezuela will remain “free and independent” despite US pressure.

Claiming it sought to “restore democracy” in Venezuela, the US recognized opposition politician Juan Guaido as “interim president” in January and demanded Maduro’s resignation. Guaido’s repeated attempts to install himself in the presidential palace have failed, however, culminating in the April 30 military uprising that ended in total fiasco.

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