US invokes regional defense treaty over Venezuela crisis: State Department

The United States invoked a regional defense pact Wednesday with 10 other countries and Venezuela's opposition after "bellicose" moves by Nicolas Maduro's regime.

A request to invoke the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) came from the Venezuelan opposition led by Juan Guaido, said a statement from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, retweeted early Thursday by President Donald Trump.

"Recent bellicose moves by the Venezuelan military to deploy along the border with Colombia as well as the presence of illegal armed groups and terrorist organizations in Venezuelan territory demonstrate that Nicolas Maduro not only poses a threat to the Venezuelan people, his actions threaten the peace and security of Venezuela's neighbors," Pompeo said.