Venezuela plunged deeper into turmoil Monday as security forces put down a pre-dawn uprising by National Guardsmen that triggered violent street protests, and the Supreme Court moved to undercut the opposition-controlled congress' defiant new leadership. Socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello said 27 guardsmen were arrested and more could be detained as the investigation unfolds.
Venezuela’s defense minister told socialist President Nicolas Maduro to step down last month, and said he would offer his own resignation if he did not, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing an anonymous U.S. intelligence official.
Two Russian long-range strategic Tupolev 160 bombers arrived at Caracas' Simon Bolívar airport Monday to participate in exercises aimed at strengthening the country's defense, it was announced.
The United States imposed new sanctions on President Nicolas Maduro’s wife and several of his top allies on Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump urged members of the United Nations to support a “restoration of democracy” in the once-booming Venezuela oil producing nation.
Venezuela’s former attorney general urged the International Criminal Court to launch an investigation into alleged abuses of murder and torture by the leaders of the crisis-hit country. President “Nicolas Maduro and his government must pay for this, for these crimes against humanity,” said Luisa Ortega, after handing over to the tribunal in The Hague a dossier containing 1,000 pieces of evidence.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of military intervention in Venezuela was “an act of craziness,” the country's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on Friday. Venezuela's foreign ministry was expected to issue a statement on Saturday responding to Trump's comment that “a possible military option” was under consideration for the crisis-racked nation.
Venezuela's military and cabinet expressed their continued support for President Nicolas Maduro, a day after the United States announced sanctions against the president. The sanctions were in retaliation for defying the White House by refusing to cancel elections for a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) to rewrite the Constitution.
Venezuela’s government said on Wednesday it was sending troops to the western region of Tachira, rocked by violence during anti-government protests, as the United Nations Security Council prepared to discuss the crisis.
Venezuela's opposition movement on Sunday called on the military to enter dialogue with other representative of society amid a wave of near daily protests that so far have left almost fifty people killed. After pledging loyalty to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last year, the armed forces have effectively enforced a violent policy to curb opposition demonstrations.
The Venezuelan government sought Monday to downplay security fears around the country's upcoming legislative elections, rejecting the possibility of violence or a coup. With polls showing President Nicolas Maduro's populist movement on track for a landmark defeat by the opposition in Sunday's vote, speculation and rumors have swirled about possible violence or moves by the ruling party to cling to power.