President Nicolás Maduro, through allies, is ratcheting up legal and political pressure on the opposition leader by removing his parliamentary immunity.
The president pleaded with the public to remain calm and resist violence as the country's top "specialists, scientists and hackers" work to put an end to power, water and communications blackouts.
The U.S. has hit Venezuela's oil sector and government associates with sanctions and has rallied behind opposition leader Juan Guaidó, yet President Nicolás Maduro persists.
Those service members who have escaped amount to less than 1 percent of the Venezuelan military, but they now pledge allegiance to Juan Guaidó as their country's president.
The embassy is closed but Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured Venezuelans the U.S. stands by interim President Juan Guaidó and supports Venezuelans' aspirations to live in a democracy.
The country has been hobbled by a blackout since Thursday. People wait in long lines for gas and water, and increasingly are having difficulty communicating by phone or Internet.
With some parts of Venezuela still experiencing power outages, opposition leader Juan Guaidó and President Nicolás Maduro held rival rallies in Caracas.
President Nicolás Maduro blamed the "electricity war" on the United States, while opposition leader Juan Guaidó said the onus was on Venezuela's ruling party, "the usurpers."
The opposition leader has said he wants to rally supporters and continue his push for the ouster of President Nicolás Maduro. His return could spark a showdown with Maduro.