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In a whirlwind trip to Bogota, Colombia, on Monday, Vice President Mike Pence made a direct appeal to Venezuela's armed forces, urging them to offer their support for the government of interim President Juan Guaid and to abandon any remaining loyalty to the embattled regime of Nicols Maduro.

During an address to the multi-nation Lima Group, Pence also announced fresh sanctions on Maduro government officials including several who were implicated in the weekend's deadly unrest and promised more than $50 million in additional support for regional partners addressing the crisis.

He promised stronger sanctions were forthcoming and called on the leaders gathered in Bogota to take further steps to isolate Maduro's government economically and diplomatically, including by freezing all the assets of Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA.

"We will find every last dollar they have stolen and return that money to the Venezuelan people," Pence said in a speech before the group.

He also reiterated a latent military threat, invoking previous comments made by President Trump that "all options" remained on the table.

"Despite Maduro's brutality, we will press on," Pence said.

In remarks to reporters following his speech, Pence said a large part of the message he was sent to deliver was aimed at Venezuelan soldiers, nearly 200 of whom, he said, had defected over the weekend.

"Our hope is that members of the armed forces see the brutality of this week, where, literally, the tyrant in Caracas was dancing when civilians were being were being murdered and truckloads of medicine were being burned," he said, referring to Maduro, who at one point amid the clashes on Saturday danced with his wife at a political rally.

"Our hope is that members of the armed forces of good conscience, who have families of their own, and children of their own, will step forward for freedom," Pence said.

But Maduro has managed to cling to power, or at least its semblance, in no small part because he has retained the loyalty of top military brass and a sprawling network of militias, or colectivos, some of which he enlisted in frustrating the international aid deliveries Saturday.

His militias fired tear gas and live ammunition into protesting crowds, killing several civilians, and set ablaze two trucks loaded with food and medicine.

Before beginning his remarks to the Lima Group on Monday, Guaid, who had made a furtive trip across the border in defiance of a travel ban issued by Maduro, called for a minute of silence to recognize those who were killed, calling the weekend's events "a massacre."

"There is no dilemma between peace and war," Guaid said, "peace must prevail."

"The time has come to change history," he said, bringing the room to its feet at the conclusion of his address.

Pence, who met Guaid in person for the first time Monday, later said their private conversations focused on the urgent need for humanitarian aid to be successfully delivered into the country, but that the possibility of other interventions by the United States also arose.

"He affirmed his desire that we keep all options on the table," Pence said, "And I assured him that they were."

Although the Vice President repeated demands that "Maduro must go" throughout the day, he declined to elaborate on what next steps the United States was prepared to take, apart from sanctions and diplomatic pressure. He likewise sidestepped questions about what kind of developments might constitute a 'red line' for the Trump administration.

"That would be a matter for the President of the United States to determine in consultation with our allies," he said.

"But let me say again: we remain hopeful that there will be a peaceful transition of power," he added.

Pence and Guaid also met with several Venezuelan families who had fled their country and sought refuge in Colombia, which has taken in over one million refugees from Venezuela as its crisis has unfurled.

"I'm here to say, on behalf of the people of the United States, we are with you, and we will stay with you until your 'libertad' is restored," Pence said.

Some among the crowd expressed tearful gratitude and sought out extended embraces from Guaid, who led the room in singing the Venezuelan anthem; it ended in cheers and hearty chants of "Libertad!"

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Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says President Donald Trump having family in the White House makes things worse. Buzz60

WASHINGTON Stunned and overwhelmed.

Thats how former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie describedMike Pences reaction to being elected vice president a job Christie wanted.

Christie doesnt savage Pence in a new book in which he blames toxic forces around President Donald Trump for the problems of his presidency.

But his portrayal of the man he first introduced to Trump who then beat him out to be Trumps running mate and took over the transition after Christie was fired from the job also isnt exactly flattering.

Heres what he had to say about Pence in "Let Me Finish: Trump, the Kushners, Bannon, New Jersey, and the Power of In-Your-Face Politics, the latest in a long line of books written by Trump associates offeringan inside account of aWhite House widely described as chaotic.

"Let Me Finish," by Chris Christie.(Photo: Hachette Books)

One of the assets Pence brought to the Trump ticket was his strong fundraising skills and network of conservative donors.

But Christie makes a point of noting that Pence needed his help when raising money for his 2012 gubernatorial campaign in Indiana. Christie said he campaigned and raised money for Pence three times, including once after initially declining so he could celebrate his wifes birthday.

Chris, please, Pence begged, according to the book. This donor says hell raise a huge amount of money if youre here. Please.

After getting the OK from his wife, Christie agreed and Pence raised a ton of money.

(Pences wife, Karen, gave Christie a beautifully wrapped present to take home to his wife.)

Four years later, Pence asked Christie to introduce him to Trump when Pence was deciding whom to back for the 2016 presidential nomination. Trump agreed to fly to Indiana. (At the time, Pences spokeswoman said the two were meeting because Trump reached out to the governor.)

Christie described the encounter at the Indiana governors residence as a nice though slightly stiff, very serious conversation led by Pence about the state of the country.

There werent many flashes of personality or much joviality between them, Christie wrote.

Before Trump left, Pence asked if they could pray together. Trump agreed, but later asked Christie if Pence does that all the time. Told that he does, Trump had a one word response: interesting.

Gov. Mike Pence and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump met at the governor's residence on April 20, 2016.(Photo: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar 2016 file photo)

Despite arranging the meeting with Trump, Christie said, he wasn't told when Pence decided toback Texas senator Ted Cruz instead. Trump was incensed.

Are you kidding me? he told Christie, according to his book. You take me out to see this guy and then the guy screws me? He stabs me in the back by endorsing Cruz? And how come he didnt give you any heads-up?

When Christie confronted Pence byphone, he hemmed and hawed but had no real explanation for the lack of warning, Christie wrote.

But Trump calmed down a bit after learning how much Pence had praised Trump while officially backing Cruz.

Pence had skillfully threaded the needle. Donald ended up winning Indiana, Christie wrote. No harm, no foul.

Christie suggestedthat Trump wanted Christie as his running mate but Trumps daughterIvankaand son-in-law Jared Kushner were opposed. (As a federal prosecutor, Christie sent Kushners father to jail and Christies book is full of his conflicts with Kushner.)

Christie was told that Paul Manafort, Trumps then-campaign manager, was also pushing for Pence. Manaforts 2016 support for Pence has been seen by some as potentially problematic for the vice president since Manafort is a central figure in special counsel Robert Muellers probe. But Christie saw Manaforts maneuvers for Pence as merely a way for him to stay in Kushners good graces.

Christie describedhimself as not willing to lobby for the jobof No. 2 as Trump held a final meeting with Pence in Indiana.

After Sean Hannity lent the third finalist, Newt Gingrich,his plane to fly to Indianapolis to try to intercede, Christie said a friend offered him a plane. Christie wrote that he declined because, Thats not who I am. Donald knows me. If he wants to pick me, he picks me. But Im not going to get into this.

But in Pence: The Path to Power, author Andrea Neal wrote that the driver taking Eric and Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner to the airport after the meeting with Pence heard Eric telling the others that Christie had repeatedly called his father during the meeting. When Eric called Christie back from the car, the driver could hear him reassure an animated Christie that no decision had been made.

Trump called Pence that night and offered him the job, Neal and others have written.

Your dad was just asked to be the candidate for the vice president of the United States, Pence told his children, according to the book his daughter, Charlotte, published last year. The family hunched down in their car seats to avoid being seen as they were driven to the airport the next day to board a private plane to New York for the announcement.

But as Pence prepared for the clandestine trip, Christie wrote that Trump called him that morning to ask if he was still interested in the job.

Yes, I really want it, Christie said he told him.

And when Christie learned later in the day that Pence was flying in for the announcement, Trump blamed it on Manafort trying to force my hand.

Trump went on Fox News to say he hadnt made a final, final decision.

When Trump gave Christie the heads up the next day that he was about to tweet his choice of Pence, Christie admitted to being disappointed.

Youve got to understand, Chris, Trump responded, according to the book. Hes out of Central Casting.

Donald Trump and Mike Pence on stage at the conclusion of the 2016 Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on July 21, 2016.(Photo: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY)

Christie sat on Trumps left and Pence on his right as they watched increasingly positive returns come in election night. No one said much.

After one of the networks projected Trump would win Pennsylvania, a small group left the campaigns war room for Trumps residence. Christie, Pence and others started fleshing out a victory speech that existed as only bullet points not expected to be needed, according to the book.

After Hillary Clinton called Trump to concede, Christie wrote, Pence was just shaking his head.

He looked stunned and overwhelmed, Christie remembered. And he told Christies son that Christie had understood what Trump could do before anyone else had.

But thats not how Pence is portrayed in Neals book.

At no point during the evening did Pence envision defeat, she wrote, even texting to some friends the famous picture of President Harry Truman waving the 'Dewey defeats Truman'headline."

Christie doesnt say what he thinks about the job Pence has done as vice president, or that he did as head of the transition a post Pence was given after Christie was ousted from the job after the election.

But Christie wrote plentyabout the consequences of the campaign trashingthe detailed road map his team had prepared for legislative accomplishments, executive orders and key nominations. (The pre-vetted candidates included Pences predecessor as governor Purdue University President Mitch Daniels for education secretary. The list also included former Eli Lilly executive Alex Azar whom Trump ended up turning to after having to replace Tom Price, his first choice for Health and Human Services secretary.)

Christie blames Kushner, former presidential adviser Steve Bannon and others for discardinghis work for their own selfish reasons.

They set loose toxic forces, he wrote, that have made Trumps presidency far less effective than it would otherwise have been.

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At her Las Vegas show, "Enigma," Lady Gaga said, "I am a Christian woman" and Vice President Mike Pence is "wrong." USA TODAY

Lady Gaga hadsome choice words for Vice President Mike Pence.

The outspoken singerpaused during a performanceof "Million Reasons" at herLas Vegas residencyshow "Enigma" Saturday to addressthe government shutdown and call out the nation's top leaders, including President Donald Trump.

"If the (expletive) president of the United States could please put our government back," Gaga, 32,told the crowd atMGM'sPark Theater. "There are people who live paycheck to paycheck and need their money."

Related:'Out of this world!': What critics are saying about Lady Gaga's Las Vegas residency debut

Lady Gaga is slamming Vice President Mike Pence as the "worst representation of what it means to be a Christian."(Photo: Frazer Harrison, (Credit too long, see caption))

Lady Gaga then took aim at Pence, who recently defended his wife, Karen Pence's, new teaching position at a private school that bansLGBT employees, gaystudents andthechildren of gay parents.

"To Mike Pence, who thinks that its acceptablethat his wife works at a school that bans LGBTQ, youre wrong," she said. "Youre the worst representation of what it means to be a Christian."

Lady Gagacontinued: "I am a Christian woman, and whatI do know about Christianity is that we bear no prejudice, and everybody is welcome. So you can take all that disgrace, Mr. Pence, and look yourself in the mirror and youll find it right there."

Mike Pence recently defended his wife, Karen Pence's, new teaching position at a private school that bans LGBT employees, gay students and the children of gay parents.(Photo: Cliff Owen, AP)

The singer'sscorching take down comes afterthe second lady announced plans last week to return to the classroom atImmanuel Christian School to teach artin Springfield, Virginia.However, Karen's decision has come under fire over the private school's discriminatory practices against the LGBTQ community.

Underaparent agreementposted on the school's website, Immanuel can refuse admission to students who participate in, support or condone "sexual immorality, homosexual activity or bisexual activity." The school also can refuse admission based on similar "activities of a parent or guardian" or "within a particular home."

Pence backed his wife's decision onthe Catholic news network EWTN Thursday, saying it's "deeply offensive to us" to "see major news organizations attacking Christian education."

"Mrs. Pence has returned to the school where she previously taught for 12 years," her spokeswoman, Kara Brooks said in a statement. "It's absurd that her decision to teach art to children at a Christian school, and the school's religious beliefs, are under attack."

Contributing: Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY

Related:Second Lady Karen Pence is stepping back into the classroom at a school that bans gay students

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Vice President Mike Pence compared Donald Trump to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a CBS News interview over the weekend, claiming both leaders have inspired Americans to change through the legislative process.

During a segment on Sundays Face The Nation, host Margaret Brennan pressed Pence on the presidents latest offer to end the partial government shutdown, which involves trading extended protections for DACA recipients for a wall on the southern U.S.-Mexico border. Before Trump officially made the proposal on Saturday, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) rejected it in a statement where she called the deal unacceptable, a non-starter and stated that it did not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to peoples lives.

If this is a genuine attempt [at ending the shutdown], why werent any Democrats included in the consultations? Brennan asked Pence on Sunday.

U.S. President Vice President Mike Pence speaks during a Missile Defense Review announcement on January 17, 2019 at the Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia. On Sunday, Pence compared Trump to Martin Luther King Jr. on the eve of MLK Day. Getty/Martin H. Simon

Pence responded by reciting Trump administration talking points before adding a surprise comparison of the president to Martin Luther King Jr. to sell the proposed border wall.

Honestly, you know, the hearts and minds of the American people today are thinking a lot about it being the weekend we are remembering the life and the work of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King was, Now is the time to make real the the promises of democracy, he said, quoting a passage from Dr. Kings famous I Have a Dream speech.

Pence continued on to argue that like MLK, Trump has also inspired us to change. You think of how he changed America, he inspired us to change through the legislative process, to become a more perfect union, he said. Thats exactly what President Trump is calling on the Congress to do, come to the table in a spirit of good faith.

Read more:Martin Luther King in Pictures: The Life and Times of the Civil Rights Icon

The vice presidents comments come on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday marking the birthday of the influential American civil rights movement leader and celebrating his life and achievements.

A partial government shutdown went into effect in December after Trump declined to sign a stop-gap measure designed to keep it running through to February on the basis that it didnt include funding for his proposed border wall. Now on its 29th day with no resolution in sight, the shutdownwhich has left around 800,000 federal employees either furloughed or working unpaidbecame the longest in U.S. history when it hit 22 days last weekend, beating a 1996 record set by Bill Clintons administration.

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Lady Gaga weighed in on the nations current state of affairs during her Enigma show in Las Vegas on Saturday, joining an ever-growing list of celebrities to voice their disapproval of the Trump administration.

The Grammy winner singled out Vice President Mike Pence, slamming himfor thinking its acceptable that his wife work at a school that bans LGBTQ.

The vice president has defended Karen Pencesdecision to teach at the Immanuel Christian School, which bans LGBTQ employees, students and families. In an interview with Eternal World Television Network, Mike Pence likened the uproar overhis wifes decision to an attack on Christianity.

You are wrong, the singer said, before speaking of her own Christian faith:

You said we should not discriminate against Christianity. You are the worst representation of what it means to be a Christian. I am a Christian woman, and what I do know about Christianity is that we bear no prejudice and everybody is welcome. So you can take all that disgrace Mr. Pence and you can look yourself in the mirror and youll find it right there.

The A Star Is Born actress also issued a message to Donald Trump amid the ongoing partial government shutdown, asking if the fucking president of the United States could please put our government back in business.

There are people who live paycheck to paycheck and need their money, she said to applause from the audience.

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Lady Gaga Slams Mike Pence: Hes The Worst Representation ...