Venezuela: Maduro Calls for March Against Renewed US Decree

President Nicolas Maduro has called on grassroots and social movements to join a national march against a decree that was recently renewed by U.S. President Barack Obama referring to Venezuela as "a threat."

The Venezuelan president called the march for this Saturday, March 12, in response to an executive order renewed by Obama last week, first issued last March, that declared Venezuela “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

"I reject once again this criminal declaration against the peace of the homeland," Maduro said on Thursday. "I want to call you all to the initiative, to the national march to reject Obama’s new threat to Venezuela, next Saturday. We have to respond in the streets."

IN DEPTH: US Threats on Venezuela

Maduro hinted at a campaign launched by the opposition on Tuesday to remove him from power this year.

The plan includes street protests for his immediate resignation, along with plans to hold a presidential recall referendum and to change the constitution so that there are immediate elections.

According to Maduro, the same politicians “supported” Obama’s executive order.

“How sad is it that right-wing Venezuelan deputies have supported this decree?” he asked.

The renewal of the decree is valid for one year and was revealed in a letter from Obama to congressional leaders. In the letter, the U.S. president claims that alleged conditions that first prompted the order had “not improved.”

The executive order was first issued by Obama in March 2015 and provoked a storm of controversy within Venezuela and a backlash throughout Latin America.

In the same speech, Maduro announced the creation of a new military zone to protect mines from violent attacks.

The move comes in response to the disappearance of 28 miners last Saturday in which paramilitary involvement is suspected.

"It has dirtied the name of Venezuela," said Maduro. "We are going to see justice. And have faith that the witnesses will be protected. We will do everything we can to uncover the truth."