The United States claimed on Tuesday that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was on his way out, saying he had a plane ready and that senior officials were plotting to oust him, even as the leftist firebrand appeared to survive a military uprising.
The president in charge of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, announced from the military air base of La Carlota that since Tuesday, April 30, Operation Libertad began to “cease the usurpation” of Nicolás Maduro's regime. Civilians gathered at the east of Caracas in support of the military insurrection and Military supporters of Maduro government took part of the base of the Military Aviation, armed with long weapons.
An armored vehicle of the National Guard (GN) of Venezuela intentionally ran over a group of citizens who were demonstrating in support of the call to activate the so-called “operation freedom”, led by the president in charge Juan Guaidó on a highway in Caracas.
Brazil's foreign minister on Monday voiced high hopes for a major rally planned this week in Venezuela by Juan Guaido, the country's self-proclaimed president. Guaido, who is recognized by more than 50 countries including the United States and Brazil, has called protests for the May 1 workers' holiday that he has vowed will be “the biggest in the history” of Venezuela.
Ambassadors designated by Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan opposition leader recognized by most Western nations as the country's president, have met in Colombia to discuss how to win the support of China and Russia, staunch allies of President Nicolas Maduro.
The leader of Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly, Juan Guaido, canceled a rally scheduled to be held in the country's fourth-largest city on Sunday and said the “dictatorship” had prevented him from entering.
A U.S. citizen arrested in Venezuela in 2014 on weapons trafficking and attempted murder charges his family called trumped-up was released this week, his family said in a statement on Friday. Todd Leininger, 37, was arrested in western Tachira state where he and his Venezuelan wife were visiting his sister-in-law.
Supporters of the late Venezuelan president, Hugo Chávez, should have a place at the table in a democratic Venezuela, US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams said at the Atlantic Council in Washington this week.
Cuba branded U.S. national security adviser John Bolton a “pathological liar” on Thursday for his allegation that it has troops stationed in ally Venezuela and said the latest U.S. sanctions would further hurt but not vanquish the Cuban people.
At least 23 illegal immigrants, including women and two children, are feared drowned after their boat overturned early Wednesday morning off Venezuela. The ill-fated fishing pirogue was carrying 35 persons, including the captain, an inlet along the Caribbean island of Trinidad’s south western peninsula.