State Department warns US citizens to leave Venezuela

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the nation on state television for the first time since President Nicolas Maduro's removal and demanded his release.

Rodriguez said Maduro was the only president of Venezuela and slammed the U.S. for its early morning strike.

"We had already warned that an aggression was underway under false excuses, under false pretexts, and that the masks had fallen and it had only one objective: regime change in Venezuela — and the capture of our energy, mineral, and natural resources," she said in Spanish.

Rodriguez also warned that "the people have mobilized"

"If something were to happen to him, the people must go to the streets, the armed forces must deploy across the country, and all institutions must activate — to defend what we are, as sons and daughters of Simon Bolivar," she said.

"We ride to defend the great homeland," she added.

-ABC News' Dada Jovanovic and Victoria Beaule

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for an immediate "Gang of Eight" briefing on actions in Venezuela, referring to the group of top congressional leaders briefed on national security issues.

They also called for a briefing next week for all members of Congress.

"President Trump’s announced plan to run Venezuela is unacceptable," they said in a joint statement. "It is critical that the Trump administration provide an immediate Gang of Eight briefing, followed by briefings for all Members of the House and Senate early next week."

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, sharply rebuked the administration's actions in Venezuela and President Trump's assertion that the United States would run the country in a statement this afternoon.

"Last night, President Trump waged war on a foreign nation without authorization, without notification, and without any explanation to the American people. Whatever comes next, President Trump will own the consequences," Reed said in a statement.

Reed called Trump's assertion that the United States would run Venezuela "ludicrous."

"No serious plan has been presented for how such an extraordinary undertaking would work or what it will cost the American people. History offers no shortage of warnings about the costs – human, strategic, and moral – of assuming we can govern another nation by force," he said.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a statement about the operation and said he was briefed about it, as well as the plans to imprison Maduro in the city.

"Unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law," he said in a statement.

“This blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad, it directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance," he added.