Venezuela news Police vehicles drive at opposition supporters as Maduro forces try to put down Guaido's 'military-backed' coup
The protests are expected to last into the night and potentially longer
The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday
Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US
Venezuela has seen a day of tumult and protests as the country's opposition leader Juan Guaido began what he described as the "final phase" of his plan to take wrest control of the Venezuelan government from president Nicolas Maduro.
The day of unrest began on Tuesday with Mr Guaido appearing in a video surrounded by troops who he said had put their weight behind the opposition leader's claim to leadership — a claim that Mr Guaido would make repeatedly throughout the day at several locations in Caracas.
As the day progressed, Mr Maduro described the effort to remove him from office as a "coup" dreamed up in Washington, and claimed that he had been assured of "total loyalty" to his cause by military leaders in the country. In a later interview, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that Mr Maduro was prepared to flee the country on Tuesday morning, but had been talked out of doing so by Russian officials.
But, as images and videos of violence broadcast around the world from Caracas, several officials in countries around the world weighed in on the events, including John Bolton, the national security adviser in the White House. Mr Bolton told reporters at the White House that no options had been taken off the table for the United States, including military action, even though a peaceful transfer of power was preferable.
During those remarks, Mr Bolton suggested that the Cuban government and military was propping up thee Maduro regime. Later, in a tweet, Mr Bolton tagged several senior aides to Mr Maduro to tell them "your time is up."
Venezuelans seek joy amid the chaos
Show all 24"This is your last chance," Mr Bolton wrote. "Accept Interim President Guaido's amnesty, protect the Constitution, and remove Maduro, and we will take you off our sanctions list. Stay with Maduro, and go down with the ship."
Back in Venezuela, Mr Guaido called for Venezuelans and the military to back him to end Mr Maduro's "usurpation", declaring: "The moment is now."
There is some expectation that demonstrations — which included reports of gunfire, and military vehicles driving into crowds of demonstrators — would last through the night and into Wednesday.
Thanks for reading along as we watched the situation in Venezuela
Welcome to The Independent's live coverage of what could prove a hugely significant day in Venezuela.
Opposition leader Juan Guaido has declared he has begun the "final phase" of his plan to oust president Nicolas Maduro, calling on his country's people and the military to back him to end Maduro's "usurpation."
We'll bring you the latest updates as this situation develops.
Here's the key information we know so far about the apparent coup attempt underway in Venezuela:
Juan Guaido's call for an uprising came in a video shot at a Caracas air base showing him surrounded by men in military inform and accompanied by opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez, who has been under house since 2014.
In the three-minute video shot early on Tuesday, Guaido said soldiers who took to the streets would be acting to protect Venezuela's constitution.
"The moment is now," he said. "The national armed forces have taken the correct decision, and they are counting on the support of the Venezuelan people."
However, Guaido's call for support from the military suggests he does not at this stage have the full support of his country's troops.
Venezuela's government has depicted the attempted uprising as a small coup attempt by military "traitors" working with right-wing opponents.
The country's defence minister said "normality" had been reported at military bases across the country.
Information minister Jorge Rodriguez, meanwhile, tweeted: "We inform the people of Venezuela at the moment we are confronting and deactivating a reduced group of military traitors who are positioning themselves in the Distribuidor Altamira [neighbourhood] to promote a coup d'etat against the constitution and the peace of the Republic.
"To this intent is added the putschist and murderous ultra right which announced its violent agenda months ago. We call on the people to maintain maximum alert so, together the glorious National Armed Bolivarian forces defeat the intent to mount a coup and preserve the peace. We will win."
Tear gas has been fired on a road near La Carlota air force base, where Juan Guaido gathered with some 70 men in military uniform, according Reuters.
US senator Marco Rubio, a Republican, has urged Venezuelans to take to the streets in support of Juan Guaido, who has been backed by Donald Trump's government:
Today's dramatic developments come ahead of protests against the Maduro presidency planned take place tomorrow.
Juan Guaido has said the protests would be "the largest march in Venezuela's history" and part of the "definitive phase" of his effort to take office in order to call fresh elections.
In January Guaido, who is the leader of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared himself Venezuela's interim president and said Maduro's re-election in 2018 was illegitimate.
Around 50 countries including the United States have recognized Guaido as Venezuela's interim president, but Maduro clung on the power since.
Guaido has been traveling outside the capital, Caracas, more and more in recent weeks to try to put pressure on him to step down.
Maduro calls Guaido a US-backed puppet who seeks to oust him in a coup. The government has arrested his top aide, stripped Guaido of his parliamentary immunity and opened multiple probes. It has also barred him from leaving the country, a ban Guaido openly violated earlier this year.
Last week, Guaido said his congressional ally - opposition politician Gilber Caro - had been detained, and that 11 members of his team had been summoned to appear before Venezuela's Sebin intelligence agency.
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has taken to the streets with a small contingent of heavily-armed soldiers and opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez, who has been freed by the military.
"This is the moment of all Venezuelans, those in uniform and those who aren't," said Lopez in his first public appearance since being detained in 2014 for leading anti-government protests. "Everyone should come to the streets, in peace."
Venezuela's socialist party leader, Diosdado Cabello, has called on government supporters to amass at the presidential palace to defend Nicolas Maduro from what he says is a small uprising of traitorous military soldiers backed by the US
Cabello downplayed the significance of the rebellion, saying Caracas was calm and that the Carlota air base near where the rebellious soldiers are gathered had not been infiltrated.
The father of freed Venezuelan opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez says he is expecting a military and public response following the release of his son in Caracas.
"We are going to see a national call to people and the military to end the usurpation and, well, I hope that the usurpation government will end today," Leopoldo Lopez, Sr, told Associated Press in phone interview from the United States.
His son had been under house arrest for leading an anti-government push in 2014 but has today been freed by the military.
His father, who lives in Spain and has become a prominent voice of the Venezuelan opposition in exile, said that the military were obeying a presidential pardon issued by Juan Guaido, who is leading the opposition against the government of Nicolas Maduro.
The elder Lopez, who is running for a seat in the European Parliament at the end of May, said he couldn't comment on whether today's developments had been coordinated with the United States or other countries that have backed Guaido.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies