Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday told the United Nations “the time is now” to support the efforts of Venezuela’s opposition to oust President Nicolás Maduro.

“The United States stands with the Venezuelan people,” he told the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting called by the US. “We’re here to urge all nations to support the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people as they try to free themselves from former President Maduro’s illegitimate mafia state.”

Protestors filled the streets in recent days as they sought to oust Maduro, who came to power in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chavez. The opposition maintains his reelection last year was fraudulent, as he banned opposition politicians from the ballot and is accused of rigging vote counting.

Juan Guaidó, who was chosen president of the National Assembly in early January, has proclaimed himself the rightful leader of Venezuela.

France, Germany, Britain and Spain called for new elections, saying if they do not occur within eight days, they will recognize Guaidó as the Venezuela’s leader.

“After banning opposition candidates, ballot box stuffing and counting irregularities in a deeply flawed election it is clear Nicolás Maduro is not the legitimate leader of Venezuela,” Jeremy Hunt, Britain’s foreign minister, tweeted Saturday.

Pompeo recounted the travails of Venezuelans who have seen their futures “taken away” by Maduro’s failed policies, even as he filled the nation’s prisons with political prisoners.

“We’re here because Maduro has reduced ordinary Venezuelans who once lived in prosperity to rooting through dumpsters to find something to eat,” he said Saturday.

Once a wealthy nation, oil-rich Venzuela’s economy has collapsed in the past few years as oil prices plunged, leaving millions facing malnutrition and starvation. Up to 3 million have fled the country amid widespread food shortages and escalating political violence.

However, Russia and China, who had voted against holding the Security Council meeting, are among the handful of countries that continue to support Maduro, who has said he will meet with the opposition but shown no sign he will give up power. Up to 400 Russian military contractors are in Venezuela to provide beefed-up security for Maduro, according to reports.

Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the U.S. of attempting “to engineer a coup d’etat” in Venezuela. He demanded to know whether President Trump’s administration “is ready to use military force” against Maduro’s government.

With Post wires