Venezuela crisis: Nicolas Maduro says he will 'not go down in history as a ...

Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro has said he 'will not go down in history as a traitor' as he vowed to resist Washington's demands to step down. 

Donald Trump has warned he could use military force in Venezuela if Maduro does not hand over power, after the U.S. recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country's interim President.  

European powers joined Trump in turning their back on Maduro yesterday but the military has so far remained loyal to the current regime.  

Speaking to RT - the state-owned broadcaster of Maduro's ally, Russia - Venezuela's President warned the country would defend its 'sacred land' against any invasion.  

Nicolas Maduro, pictured at a military exercise in Venezuela on Sunday, has vowed not to quit and said he will 'not go down in history as a traitor' 

Nicolas Maduro, pictured at a military exercise in Venezuela on Sunday, has vowed not to quit and said he will 'not go down in history as a traitor' 

He said: 'I'm not going to be a traitor, a weak man who turned his back on his historic commitments to his people.  

'What is the casus belli [cause of war] of Donald Trump against Venezuela? It is Venezuela's oil, riches, gold, gas, iron, diamonds and material riches.'

Rejecting European calls for new elections he said the country had gone to the polls 25 times in 20 years, saying the 'problem is in the opposition'. 

Russia, China, Bolivia, Cuba, Iran, Mexico, North Korea, Turkey and Uruguay continue to back Maduro as leader.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today accused the EU of hypocrisy by trying to force Maduro out. 

'On one side you will say 'democracy, democracy, democracy' and 'ballot box, ballot box, ballot box' and later you will dare to topple the government by violence and ruse,' he said.  

Venezuela is in the grip of severe shortages of food and medicine and an inflation rate of more than one million per cent, according to the UN. 

Guaido has said that 300,000 people are at risk of death from malnutrition and illness after years of shortages of basic food and medicines. 

The U.S. has pledged humanitarian aid for Venezuela but Maduro has turned it down, believing it is the first step to overthrowing him. 

Guaido accused the military of planning to divert aid in order to distribute it through the socialist government's subsidised food program for supporters. 

The aid supplies are being stockpiled in

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