On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump shared an image on his own social media, Truth Social, in which Venezuela is mentioned as the 51st state of the United States.
The post shows a picture of a map of northern South America. Here, Venezuela is covered by an American flag.
Above the image are the words "51st State".
The White House has also shared an image of Trump's Truth Social post on social media X.
Neither the post from Trump nor the White House is accompanied by additional text.
According to the AFP news agency, Trump shared the image while he was on his way to China.
Here he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on an official state visit that will take place from May 13 to 15.
Trump: Considering making Venezuela the 51st state
On Monday, US time, Trump told Fox News that he has thought about possibly making Venezuela a US state.
According to CNN, the president said that he is "seriously" considering it.
Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, has also spoken out on the matter.
According to CNN, she stated after Trump's statement that the country has no plans to become the 51st state of the United States.
- We will continue to defend our integrity, our sovereignty, our independence, our history, it was heard to journalists.
Venezuela is "not a colony, but a free country," Rodriguez said.
Delcy Rodriguez has been acting president of Venezuela since early January, when then-President Nicolas Maduro was captured by US forces.
Opposition demands elections in Venezuela
During her time in office, she has spearheaded a softening of the country's relationship with the US. This has included a number of reforms that have opened Venezuela's mining and oil sectors to foreign companies - particularly US companies.
The country's opposition has also demanded that a presidential election be held.
When asked about the prospects for an election on May 1, Delcy Rodriguez said she did not know when it would take place.
According to CNN, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly declined to comment on Trump's statements about Venezuela.
According to her, Trump is "known for never accepting the status quo." She also praised Delcy Rodriguez for "working incredibly cooperatively" with the United States.
/ritzau/AFP
