By Agence France-Presse Venezuela's opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido insisted on Friday that the United States embassy in Caracas would remain open despite Nicolas Maduro's attempt to expel its diplomats. Venezuela's National Assembly head Juan Guaido (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN) President Maduro gave the diplomats 72 hours to leave the country after being angered at US recognition of Guaido as interim president on Wednesday, also breaking off diplomatic relations. The next day he closed Venezuela's embassy and consulates in the US. National Assembly president Guaido, though, continues to undermine Maduro's authority. "We're saying this to the staff at the American embassy: you can stay in this country, which is an order of this body, which is an order that we are authorized to give," said Guaido, speaking from a square in the east of Caracas in his first public appearance since Wednesday's drama. "They're worried about their security... probably some of their family will leave, but we want to tell them to stay and maintain the American embassy in Venezuela, with its doors open." Russia and China have rejected Guaido's attempted power grab and backed Maduro but the parliament leader extended his request to their diplomats too, saying "hopefully everyone will stay." On Thursday, the US State Department ordered non-emergency embassy staff to leave Venezuela but refused to comply fully with Maduro's expulsion order. The US said it didn't recognize his authority and would "maintain diplomatic relations with Venezuela through the government of interim President Guaido." In a press conference held concurrently to Guaido's, Maduro said he expected the US to acquiesce to his demands. Guaido has rapidly risen to prominence since being elected parliament president last month, managing to galvanize a previously fractured opposition behind his challenge to Maduro. In a country in economic meltdown with millions of people suffering from poverty, Guaido has given fresh hope to an opposition that had seemed almost crushed by Maduro's iron grip on power. Maduro won controversial elections last May that were boycotted by the opposition and dismissed as a fraud by the European Union, US and several Latin American countries. Guaido branded Maduro a "usurper" and has promised to create a transitional government ahead of new elections.