On December 17, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Venezuela had "stolen" oil and land that rightfully belonged to the U.S., adding that America must reclaim these assets. On the same day, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro condemned the U.S. for taking aggressive actions, revealing that he had spoken with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres regarding the situation. Maduro rejected the U.S. claims that Venezuela's oil, minerals and even its land were U.S. property, calling such assertions unprecedented. He reiterated that Venezuela would never become a colony of any nation.