After U.S. recognized the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó and his party as legitimate government, D.C.-based activist group Code Pink and other supporters of the Communist government in Venezuela occupied the Venezuelan Embassy from early April to stop diplomats for the country’s opposition government from taking up residence there.⁣⁣

“We as Americans have a responsibility to stop our government from violating international law and orchestrating a coup and we will continue to do so,” said Ariel Gold, national co-director of Code Pink.

⁣⁣Meanwhile, the supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, most of whom were Venezuelans and Venezuelan-Americans, denounced the trespassing of American activists by showing their Venezuelan passports or IDs, banging pots, shouting chants and blaring sirens through megaphones.

⁣⁣“We have Americans living inside our embassy while real Venezuelans are out here protesting”, said a Venezuelan student who lives in D.C., “It’s ironic and outrageous.”⁣