Venezuela said Monday that three U.S. diplomats have 48 hours to leave the South American country , accusing them of conspiring against its government . The State Department fired back , calling that claim `` baseless and false '' and saying the United States had not yet received any formal notification of the officials ' expulsion . Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua accused the U.S. officials of using a visa program as a cover to meet with youth organizers at private universities `` for training , financing and creating youth organizations through which violence is promoted in Venezuela . '' The expulsion , which President Nicolas Maduro first announced Sunday , comes after the State Department expressed concerns about rising tensions in Venezuela . Three anti-government protesters died in clashes last week in Caracas , and authorities have issued an arrest warrant for opposition leader Leopold Lopez on charges including conspiracy and murder in connection with the violence . The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry sharply criticized the Obama administration . `` The U.S. government is lying when it denounces the arrest of peaceful anti-government protesters , '' the ministry said in a statement . `` The Venezuelan state has acted and will continue acting against violent actions of extreme right-wing groups that are conspiring dangerously against democratic freedoms . ... The world must know that there is enough evidence that the groups that have caused violence in recent days are headed by Mr. Leopoldo Lopez . '' Lopez 's party , Popular Will , has accused the government of being responsible for violence during the protests . On Monday , the party said government troops had violently raided its headquarters , firing tear gas and demanding security cameras . Venezuelan officials could not be immediately reached to respond to that claim . In a YouTube video posted from an undisclosed location over the weekend , Lopez called for new anti-government protests Tuesday and vowed to show his face in front of Venezuela 's Justice Ministry and hand over a list of demands from the Venezuelan people to government officials . `` I made the decision to present myself before the justice system of my country , a corrupt and manipulated system , because I am not a delinquent , I have not committed any crime , and because I have the obligation to deal with this , '' Lopez said in an exclusive audio statement sent to CNN 's `` Amanpour '' Monday . `` To leave the country or to hide would be to plant doubt about what our motivation is , which is to rally millions of Venezuelans in order to effect change -- social change , political change -- in the face of a reality the affects us all . '' Lopez encouraged protesters to be peaceful and to allow him to walk the final stretch to the ministry alone . `` We have raised a flag of change to organize millions of Venezuelans , that we want to effect change in a peaceful manner , not in a violent way , '' Lopez told CNN . While opposition groups plan another protest Tuesday , government officials appear to be looking for support beyond the country 's borders . Jaua said he plans to meet Tuesday with ambassadors from Latin American and Caribbean nations , and with ambassadors from Russia and China , to discuss the recent violence . On Monday , State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki called for dialogue in Venezuela as tensions mount . `` We support human rights and fundamental freedoms -- including freedom of expression and of peaceful assembly -- in Venezuela as we do in countries around the world , '' she said . `` But as we have long said , Venezuela 's political future is for the Venezuelan people to decide . We urge their government to engage all parties in meaningful dialogue . ''
An opposition party says government troops raided its headquarters . Venezuela accuses three U.S. diplomats of infiltrating universities and expels them . The State Department calls Venezuela 's conspiracy claims `` baseless and false '' The expulsion comes after the U.S. expressed concern over rising tensions .