Pedro Mario Burelli, a veteran Venezuelan political operative and an opponent of Mr. Maduro’s movement, called the visit part of an effort to “freak him out” — to scare Mr. Maduro into believing that the global political tide is increasingly turning against him.

Venezuelan opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez, who says he won a July presidential election and is recognized by multiple countries as president-elect, said he had a fruitful meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and spoke at length with President-elect Donald Trump's security advisor.

Venezuela’s government has doubled down on its intention to arrest the opposition leader who claims to have defeated President Nicolás Maduro in last year’s election