VENEZUELA is a "disaster" says US President Donald Trump and he is "very sad" about the situation in that country, the scene of a wave of anti­government protests.

The country has decided to withdraw from the Organization of American States (OAS)   claiming that a group of US­led countries is using the body to oust President Nicolás Maduro.

Trump’s remark was in reply to a journalist's question while he was welcoming Argentine President Mauricio Macri to the White House.

"I am very sad for Venezuela, very sad to see what has happened. It is a very sad situation," he said.

Caracas made the  withdrawal decision after Tuesday's  meeting with the vote of 19 countries, approved a meeting of foreign ministers to evaluate the country's serious crisis. Venezuela is due Thursday to hand over the letter of resignation to the OAS to the General Secretariat, formally beginning the process of withdrawal from  the organization, which takes two years.

Maduro's government faces mounting international pressure and a wave of protests that has left about 30 people dead.