Venezuela

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.

Describing what he called a kidnapping, Guaidó said weapons had been planted at Roberto Marrero's house and that he should be freed immediately.

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.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the U.S. plans to withdraw all remaining embassy personnel this week. The country has been wracked with power outages, and President Nicolás Maduro blamed the U.S.

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.

Based in Nairobi, Kenya, Eyder Peralta usually covers Africa for NPR. After reporting recently in Venezuela, he describes parallels he saw with popular movements facing government repression.