CARACAS — President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela warned Americans in a video posted Wednesday that intervening in his country “would lead to a Vietnam worse than they can imagine.’’

The video, posted on his social media accounts, came out on the same day Maduro gave an interview to Russia’s RIA news agency in which he was more conciliatory, saying he was open to talks with the country’s opposition but rejecting calls for a new election.

“I am ready to sit down at the negotiating table with the opposition so that we could talk about what benefits Venezuela,’’ Maduro said.

He mentioned several possible mediators for the talks, including Mexico, Uruguay, Bolivia, Russia, the Vatican, and European governments that had encouraged dialogue. But he gave no indication if he had begun the process of arranging them.

The United States last week recognized the opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, as Venezuela’s acting president, and most Latin American nations have done the same. Several European Union countries have called for new elections — a prospect even the opposition says will take some time — and have warned that they will recognize the opposition leader if Maduro does not schedule a new vote.

The presidential election last year that returned Maduro to office for another six-year term was marred by widespread reports of fraud and coercion. China and Russia have continued to support Maduro, as have Cuba and Bolivia.

President Trump seized on Maduro’s offer for talks with the opposition by suggesting on Twitter that the Venezuelan leader had acted in response to American sanctions.

Guaidó said on Twitter that Trump had telephoned him to reiterate American support and pledge humanitarian help. He said the opposition was focused on large-scale demonstrations scheduled for Saturday.

Guaidó also took part in protests on Wednesday at the Central University of Venezuela in Caracas, where he was swarmed by international reporters. Wearing a white lab coat, he linked arms with medical students and marched with them up a roadway, before speeding off on the back of a motorbike.

The demonstration was one of a handful in the city on Wednesday, though on a smaller scale than some recent demonstrations. Some workers walked out of their jobs for hours in protest against Maduro and his government.

“We protest because we are going through a lot of need,’’ said Darío Rodríguez, 50, a construction worker demonstrating in the Las Mercedes neighborhood. “Insecurity, money, food — my salary is not even enough to buy salt.’’

Protesters have expressed disillusionment with Maduro’s handling of a once-prosperous economy. Prices have skyrocketed amid hyperinflation. Violence and hunger are endemic, and food shortages have reached new highs.

The government has tried to impede reporters covering the protests. On Tuesday, security forces detained a number of journalists covering demonstrations outside the presidential palace in Caracas.

Two French journalists were still being held Wednesday and two Chilean journalists were deported, according to the Sindicato Nacional de los Trabajadores de la Prensa. Two Venezuelan journalists were detained and later released.

In his RIA interview, Maduro rebuffed calls for a new presidential election, saying that “if the imperialists want new elections, let them wait until 2025.’’

Maduro also dismissed the possibility of military intervention by the United States to remove him from power, a prospect raised by John Bolton, the national security adviser. He called Bolton “infantile’’ and “clowning’’ for speaking to reporters while holding a notepad with the phrase “5,000 troops to Colombia’’ written on top.

He took a blunter tone in a video posted on Facebook. and Twitter accounts.

“Let’s not allow a Vietnam in Latin America,’’ Maduro said in the video. “If the United States intends to intervene here, they will have a Vietnam worse than what they can imagine. Let’s not allow violence.’’

The Trump administration on Tuesday handed control of Venezuela’s bank accounts and property in the United States to Guaidó.

Elliott Abrams, the new US special envoy for Venezuela, told reporters that American officials and Guaidó were searching the globe to for assets which belong to the Venezuelan government. Where possible, he said, the United States will ask countries to freeze the assets to prevent Maduro’s government from having access to them, he said.