US diplomats leave Venezuela, where Russians arrive.

Several diplomats left the US embassy in Caracas in the middle of the day for the Venezuelan capital's airport, witnesses said, while Washington wants to put more pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.

On Thursday, the US State Department ordered some members of its diplomatic staff to leave Venezuela and also advised US nationals to leave after Donald Trump recognized Juan Guaido as the new head of state in Venezuela.

President Nicolas Maduro consequently severed diplomatic relations with the United States, decided to close the Venezuelan embassy and consulates in the United States and asked the US diplomatic staff to leave the country within 72 hours.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will attend a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York on Saturday and will be asked to recognize Juan Guaido as acting president of the Latin American country.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Friday that Moscow would oppose the "destructive politics" of the United States. While visiting Rabat, Morocco, he denounced Washington's "calls for coup".

.........