Caracas, May 4: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called on the armed forces to be "ready" in the event of a US military offensive against the South American country, in a speech to troops on Saturday.

Maduro called on the military "to be ready to defend the homeland with weapons in your hands if one day the US empire dares to touch this territory, this sacred earth." Venezuela Crisis: Nicolas Maduro Gets Ultimatum from Spain, France, Germany to Conduct Elections in 8 Days.

His speech at a military base came as opposition leader Juan Guaido rallied his supporters in a new day of protests to press the armed forces to support his bid to dislodge Maduro.