Caracas, May 17 (RHC)-- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rejected and repudiated the storming of the country's embassy in Washington, DC on Thursday. At a news conference in Caracas, Maduro said: "The U.S. has raided the premises of the Venezuelan embassy in Washington ... a brutal act against international law and lack of respect for embassies in the world."

The Venezuelan head of state says he gave instructions to take his country's complaint to the highest authorities and is expecting United Nations member states to make declarations against this violation. He said that he told Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza that he should insist take the case to the UN which should rule, "sooner rather than later on this serious violation of the Venezuelan Embassy in the United States."

President Maduro also urged the U.S. government to respect the human rights of the anti-war activists who were inside the diplomatic headquarters for 37 days with the permission of Venezuelan officials.

Peace and solidarity activists had been defending the diplomatic mission since the two governments broke diplomatic relations. However, U.S. authorities and the Venezuelan opposition sought to cut off electricity and water services to the building, as well as prevent food from entering by keeping a siege on the embassy.