The inauguration of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro left his opponents grappling with mixed feelings of hope and disappointment, wondering why the self-styled socialist leader could not be stopped despite credible evidence that he had lost the election last year.

Maduro’s calls for an invasion are a clear attempt to get rid of the United States presence and grow his influence in the area,” González-Colón wrote.

Puerto Rico governor Jenniffer González Colón called Maduro's comments an "open threat to the United States and our national security."