State Department warns US citizens to leave Venezuela

The Senate is set to vote Thursday on a war powers resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine that would block the use of the U.S. Armed Forces to engage in hostilities within or against Venezuela unless authorized by Congress.

The legislation is being co-sponsored by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Sen. Rand Paul, and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. It will need a simple majority of votes to pass in the Senate.

It's unclear whether it will get those votes.

The Senate voted on a similar resolution in October that narrowly failed to get the 50 votes it needed to pass. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Rand Paul voted with all Democrats to advance it at the time.

Already, many Republicans are distancing themselves from the effort this time.

Republican Whip John Barrasso said earlier Wednesday the measure would weaken the president's constitutional authority.

"It does not reassert Congress’s powers. It does not make America stronger. It makes America weaker and less safe," he said.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez held a working meeting of the political coalition in Venezuela on Wednesday, Venezuelan state TV reported on their main television channel and their Telegram account.

During the meeting, a "rescue plan for the Venezuelan head of state and the first lady," was discussed, a Venezuelan state TV correspondent said on the broadcast.

A post from the broadcaster's Telegram account said Rodriguez led an "important meeting" Wednesday "regarding the liberation" of deposed leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Venezuela's Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, the president of the National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez as well as sectoral vice presidents, governors, deputies, mayors and others participated in the meeting, according to state media.

-ABC News' Ismario Rodriguez Perez and Ellie Kaufman

President Donald Trump said he has been informed that Venezuela "is going to be purchasing ONLY American Made Products" with the money from the deal with the U.S. to export Venezuelan oil.

"In other words, Venezuela is committing to doing business with the United States of America as their principal partner – A wise choice, and a very good thing for the people of Venezuela, and the United States," Trump posted on his social media platform.

On Tuesday, Trump announced that Venezuela would be turning over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S. to be sold at the market rate. The proceeds would go to benefit the people of Venezuela and the U.S., Trump said.

In the post on Wednesday, Trump said the purchases of American products would include agricultural products, medicines, medical devices and equipment to improve Venezuela's electric grid and energy facilities.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa

The U.S. strategy to run Venezuela is to “control the purse strings," Vice President JD Vance said in early excerpts of an interview with FOX News.

“We control the energy resources, and we tell the regime, you're allowed to sell the oil so long as you serve America's national interest, you're not allowed to sell it if you can't serve America's national interest. And that's how we exert incredible pressure on that country without wasting a single American life, without endangering a single American citizen,” Vance said.

Vance also claimed the tanker the U.S. seized in the North Atlantic sea -- the Motor Tanker Bella I -- was a “fake Russian oil tanker” that pretended to be Russian “in an effort to avoid the sanctions regime.”

-ABC News' Meg Mistry