Venezuela's Maduro calls US Secretary of State Marco Rubio an 'imbecile'

Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro hit out at U.S Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, calling him an "imbecile" following the American official's visit to neighbouring Guyana.

During Rubio's visit he vowed that the United States will respond forcefully if Venezuela attacks Guyana, amid an ongoing territorial dispute that includes massive oil and gas reserves.

Rubio said it would be a “very bad day” for Venezuela should that happen as he signed a security agreement with Guyana.

"The imbecile Marco Rubio comes out threatening Venezuela from Guyana," Maduro said as he attended an event in Miranda state.

"Venezuela can't be threatened by anyone because this is the homeland of the liberators."

Maduro also denounced El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, claiming that lawyers hired by Venezuela to represent those deported from the U.S. had not been allowed access to the prisons they were being detained in.

The U.S. deported hundreds of immigrants after President Donald Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II, using the sweeping powers of a centuries-old wartime law to target alleged members of a Venezuelan gang.

The Alien Enemies Act gives the president wartime powers and allows noncitizens to be deported without the opportunity to go before an immigration or federal court judge.