A foreign ministry statement said President Nicolas Maduro's government "flatly rejects remarks by US Secretary of State John Kerry, insofar as they represent yet another maneuver by the government in Washington" to exert undue influence in Caracas.
Protests against Venezuela's government showed no sign of abating Sunday, as the fugitive opposition leader whom President Nicolas Maduro blames for sowing unrest broke his silence to urge another demonstration.
The oil-rich country's deep-rooted problems of rising prices and basic goods shortages have sparked almost two weeks of street rallies, spearheaded by students who fear a future without jobs.
The demonstrations have developed into the biggest challenge to the country's socialist rulers since the death of its longtime leader Hugo Chavez from cancer last year.
Venezuela, the OPEC member with the world's largest proven oil reserves, remains mired in a deepening economic crisis that critics blame on policies that Maduro largely inherited from Chavez.
Strict controls on currency and prices have created huge bottlenecks that have fueled inflation and emptied store shelves.
Maduro, an elected socialist whom Chavez handpicked as his successor, has so far failed to put down the threat and on Sunday he hit back at criticism from his predecessor's sworn-foe the United States, saying he would expel three US consular officials.
Maduro also received a provocative challenge from the man he blames for violence during last week's protests in which three people died.