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Supporters of Nicolas Maduro appear at the windows of the Venezuelan Embassy in Washington on May 13. REUTERS / Carlos Barria

Imbroglio around the Venezuelan embassy in Washington, occupied since April 24 by American militants who refuse to yield the building to the representative of Juan Guaido, the interim president recognized by the United States. The Venezuelan diplomats who previously worked there have left the scene since their visas expired after the break-up of diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas.

With our correspondent in Washington , Anne Corpet

In the street in front of the embassy, ​​supporters and opponents of Nicolas Maduro are separated by metal barriers and demonstrate in a good-natured atmosphere .. " No to the coup " was placarded on all the windows of the embassy.

Access to the building is prohibited by the police. Inside are entrenched four American militants.David Barrows came to support them: " We do not want a coup so that's why we protect this embassy. I have friends inside, under siege. They cut electricity, they do not let us bring them food. "

You must go out of my embassy shouts a woman to the address of a man who shows himself at the window. Michele Vallos, a student born in Caracas, has been on the sidewalk for two weeks: " We just want them to leave our embassy, ​​they do not have the right to be there, they use our embassy to defend a cause that doesn has nothing to do with Venezuela. If they are against American sanctions, they can go to the White House, to the Senate, they do not have to protest here. "

US police on Monday night notified the occupiers that their stay at the embassy was illegal and that they had to evacuate the building. No coercive measures have yet been taken to get them out.