Maduro: 'Coup attempt' defeated as police clash with protesters - Aljazeera.com

Demonstrators clashed with police on the streets of the Venezuelan capital on Tuesday, spurred by opposition leader Juan Guaido's call on the military to rise up against President Nicolas Maduro, who said he had defeated an attempted coup.

An apparently carefully planned attempt by Guaido to demonstrate growing military support disintegrated into rioting as palls of black smoke rose over eastern Caracas.

Maduro declared victory on Tuesday evening over the uprising - congratulating the armed forces for having "defeated this small group that intended to spread violence through putschist skirmishes".

"This will not go unpunished," Maduro said in an address broadcast on television and the radio.

"[Prosecutors] will launch criminal prosecutions for the serious crimes that have been committed against the constitution, the rule of law and the right to peace."

Venezuela: Military vehicle drives into protesters (03:00)

Guaido, in a video posted on Twitter earlier on Tuesday, said he had started the "final phase" of his campaign to remove Maduro from power. He was surrounded by individuals in military uniforms and opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez. 

Guaido said he was at the Caracas airbase La Carlota.

"The time is now," he said. "We are going to achieve freedom and democracy in Venezuela."

Thousands of opposition supporters flocked onto a highway near the airbase, many waving Venezuelan flags, but they were met with gunfire and tear-gas fired by soldiers at the compound's perimeter.

Lopez later entered the Chilean embassy with his wife and one of his children to claim asylum, before moving to the Spanish embassy, Chile's Foreign Minister Roberto Ampuero announced in Santiago.

In Caracas, Maduro's supporters rallied, chanting slogans of support while some people were giving out posters of Maduro with the Venezuelan flag behind him.

"Here we are in support of our President Nicolas Maduro, and in support of our beloved homeland ... this is a glorious town and our inheritance is freedom," Areli Rodriguez, 63, a Venezuelan lawyer said from outside the Miraflores Palace, the presidential office.

Other supporters said they went out to support the revolutionary process.

"The opposition in Venezuela is fascist, they do not have the streets, they do not have support and that's why their only alternative is violence, coups," Gabriel Rodriguez, a singer and government supporter in Miraflores said.

A National Guard vehicle ploughed into opposition demonstrators in Caracas on April 30 [Reuters]

Hundreds of opposition supporters also responded to Guaido's call and went out to La Carlota, and other neighbourhoods in Caracas.

"I went out because we need to support the opposition to stop the usurpation of power," Tony Pompa, an opposition supporter told Al Jazeera.

"I believe that by going out to the streets we will show to the world that we are here, and we want an end to this dictatorship," he said.

Meanwhile, Guaido also reiterated his calls for "the largest march in Venezuela's history" on Wednesday.

Venezuela is immersed in a deep economic crisis. Hyperinflation, unemployment and food and medicine shortages have prompted more than three million Venezuelans to leave the country in recent years.

Guaido in January invoked the constitution to declare himself interim president, arguing that Maduro's re-election in 2018 was illegitimate.

The United States and 50 other mostly Western countries have recognised Guaido while Russia, China, Turkey and Cuba back Maduro.

Who is Venezuela's legitimate leader? (10:50)

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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2019-05-01 07:05:00Z
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Venezuela uprising live updates: Opposition leader Juan Guaido calls for military uprising against President Nicolas Maduro; Military commander calls it a "coup attempt" - CBS News

Video in the player above shows Venezuelan opposition supporters clashing with security forces.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold attempt to lead a military uprising against President Nicolas Maduro.

The early-morning rebellion seems to have only limited military support, but it was by far the most serious challenge yet to Maduro's rule since Guaidó declared himself the country's interim president in January.

The dramatic events began Tuesday when Guaidó, flanked by a few dozen national guardsmen and some armored vehicles, released a three-minute video filmed near a Caracas air base in which he called on civilians and others in the armed forces to join a final push to topple Maduro.

"The moment is now," Guaido said in the video showing him accompanied by previously-detained activist Leopoldo Lopez.

Maduro's military commanders dismissed what it called a "coup attempt" in social media posts and said the Venezuelan army remained loyal to the president.

Live updates:

UN chief urges "maximum restraint"

The U.N. says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is urging all sides in Venezuela to exercise "maximum restraint," avoid any violence and take immediate steps to restore calm. Guterres' "message publicly and privately has been to push for dialogue in order to resolve this peacefully," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Tuesday.

Dujarric said the U.N. is "reaching out to both sides." He noted that Guterres met Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza last week and met Monday with the Lima group of countries supporting Guaidó. Dujarric also said the U.N. is taking measures to ensure the safety of its staff in the country.

Street clashes erupt

Venezuela's Juan Guaidó calls for military uprising

Anti-government demonstrators clashed with troops loyal to Maduro at an air base in Caracas, the country's capital, hours after Guaidó's attempt to lead a military uprising.

Video showed unrest, including clashes.

NBC News tweeted a video it said showed an armored military vehicle ramming into pro-Guaidó protesters in the city.

Internet restrictions reported in Venezuela

Venezuela's state run internet provider has been restricting access to YouTube and Google services following the opposition leader's call for the military to revolt against Maduro, a group that monitors internet censorship said.

The non-governmental NetBlocks group said access to the services remains intermittently available since the restrictions don't appear to be completely effective. It said Twitter, Facebook and several other services were briefly restricted earlier, although core internet connectivity remains unaffected.

The group said past incidents of network filtering in Venezuela have lasted from 12 minutes to over 20 hours.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Defense minister rejects attempt by "subversive movement"

The events appear not to have triggered a broader military revolt. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino on Twitter rejected what he called an attempt by a "subversive movement" to generate "panic and terror."

The ruling socialist party chief, Diosdado Cabello, said most of Caracas was calm and called on government supporters to amass at the presidential palace to defend Maduro from what he said was a U.S.-backed coup attempt. About a dozen government supporters, some of them brandishing firearms, gathered at the presidential palace, answered the call.

"It's time to defend the revolution with arms," Valentin Santana, head of a militant group, said in a video posted on social media as he brandished an automatic rifle.

Meanwhile, Guaidó said he would release a list of top commanders supporting the uprising in the coming hours.

Putin discusses uprising with his top security body

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the ongoing uprising in Venezuela with his top security body. Putin raised the current developments in Venezuela during his scheduled meeting with the Security Council, Russian news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Peskov said that the meeting "paid significant attention to the news reports about a coup attempt in that country." He did not elaborate further.

Pence: "We are with you!"

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence tweeted "We are with you!" Tuesday to the Venezuelans taking to the streets after Guaidó's call for an uprising.

"America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored," he added.

The U.S. and dozens of other countries have recognized Guaidó as Venezuela's rightful leader, arguing that Maduro's re-election was invalid.

To @jguaido, the National Assembly and all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela who are taking to the streets today in #operacionlibertad-Estamos con ustedes! We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored. Vayan con dios! #FreeVenezuela

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) April 30, 2019

The White House later said it is "watching and waiting" on the situation in Venezuela and hoping the result is democracy.

It was unclear how much advance knowledge the Trump administration had of Guaido's plans for Tuesday, but President Trump's national security adviser John Bolton was first to tweet his support.

"The United States stands with the people of Venezuela," Bolton tweeted.

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2019-04-30 18:08:00Z
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Venezuela uprising live updates: Opposition leader Juan Guaido calls for military uprising against President Nicolas Maduro, who calls it a "coup attempt" - CBS News

Video in the player above shows Venezuelan opposition supporters clashing with security forces.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold attempt to lead a military uprising against President Nicolas Maduro.

The early-morning rebellion seems to have only limited military support, but it was by far the most serious challenge yet to Maduro's rule since Guaidó declared himself the country's interim president in January.

The dramatic events began Tuesday when Guaidó, flanked by a few dozen national guardsmen and some armored vehicles, released a three-minute video filmed near a Caracas air base in which he called on civilians and others in the armed forces to join a final push to topple Maduro.

"The moment is now," Guaido said in the video showing him accompanied by previously-detained activist Leopoldo Lopez.

Maduro's military commanders dismissed what it called a "coup attempt" in social media posts and said the Venezuelan army remained loyal to the president.

Live updates:

Street clashes erupt

Venezuela's Juan Guaidó calls for military uprising

Anti-government demonstrators clashed with troops loyal to Maduro at an air base in Caracas, the country's capital, hours after Guaidó's attempt to lead a military uprising.

Video showed unrest, including clashes.

NBC News tweeted a video it said showed an armored military vehicle ramming into pro-Guaidó protesters in the city.

Internet restrictions reported in Venezuela

Venezuela's state run internet provider has been restricting access to YouTube and Google services following the opposition leader's call for the military to revolt against Maduro, a group that monitors internet censorship said.

The non-governmental NetBlocks group said access to the services remains intermittently available since the restrictions don't appear to be completely effective. It said Twitter, Facebook and several other services were briefly restricted earlier, although core internet connectivity remains unaffected.

The group said past incidents of network filtering in Venezuela have lasted from 12 minutes to over 20 hours.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Defense minister rejects attempt by "subversive movement"

The events appear not to have triggered a broader military revolt. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino on Twitter rejected what he called an attempt by a "subversive movement" to generate "panic and terror."

The ruling socialist party chief, Diosdado Cabello, said most of Caracas was calm and called on government supporters to amass at the presidential palace to defend Maduro from what he said was a U.S.-backed coup attempt. About a dozen government supporters, some of them brandishing firearms, gathered at the presidential palace, answered the call.

"It's time to defend the revolution with arms," Valentin Santana, head of a militant group, said in a video posted on social media as he brandished an automatic rifle.

Meanwhile, Guaidó said he would release a list of top commanders supporting the uprising in the coming hours.

Putin discusses uprising with his top security body

Russian President Vladimir Putin has discussed the ongoing uprising in Venezuela with his top security body. Putin raised the current developments in Venezuela during his scheduled meeting with the Security Council, Russian news agencies quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Peskov said that the meeting "paid significant attention to the news reports about a coup attempt in that country." He did not elaborate further.

Pence: "We are with you!"

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence tweeted "We are with you!" Tuesday to the Venezuelans taking to the streets after Guaidó's call for an uprising.

"America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored," he added.

The U.S. and dozens of other countries have recognized Guaidó as Venezuela's rightful leader, arguing that Maduro's re-election was invalid.

To @jguaido, the National Assembly and all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela who are taking to the streets today in #operacionlibertad-Estamos con ustedes! We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored. Vayan con dios! #FreeVenezuela

— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) April 30, 2019

The White House later said it is "watching and waiting" on the situation in Venezuela and hoping the result is democracy.

It was unclear how much advance knowledge the Trump administration had of Guaido's plans for Tuesday, but President Trump's national security adviser John Bolton was first to tweet his support.

"The United States stands with the people of Venezuela," Bolton tweeted.

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2019-04-30 16:55:00Z
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Live Updates: Clashes Flare After Venezuela Opposition Leader Calls for Military Uprising - The New York Times

• Clashes between anti-government protesters and law enforcement officers erupted in Caracas on Tuesday after the Venezuelan opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, appeared alongside soldiers at a military base and called for the population to rise up against the president, Nicolás Maduro.

• While Mr. Guaidó has exhorted the Venezuela military to join his side since he declared himself interim president more than three months ago, it was a new step for him to make the declaration with men in uniform by his side. Still, it was unclear how much of the military supports him.

• The Trump administration, which has backed Mr. Guaidó since he first declared himself interim president in January, expressed immediate support for his latest move. “Estamos con ustedes! We are with you!,” Vice President Mike Pence said in a Twitter post.

Opposition leader takes new step

Mr. Guaidó, whose effort to topple Mr. Maduro has made little headway since he declared himself interim president in January, took a new step by making his case publicly at a military base in the heart of the capital.

“Today, brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men attached to the Constitution have followed our call,” Mr. Guaidó said in a video posted on social media, speaking from Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, a military airport in Caracas known as La Carlota.

Mr. Guaidó claimed that “the definitive end of the usurpation starts today,” but it was not clear how many civilians or soldiers would heed him.

Behind Mr. Guaidó stood Leopoldo López, a member of his party who received a nearly 14-year sentence after staging protests in 2014 and has been held by the government under house arrest. Mr. López did not speak in the video but issued messages on Twitter saying that he had been released by soldiers.

Image

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez hugging a supporter after being released from house arrest.CreditRayner Pena/EPA, via Shutterstock

“I was released by the military on the order of the Constitution and President Guaidó,” he wrote in his first Twitter posts since 2017. “Everyone mobilize. It’s time to conquer for freedom.”

Speaking to reporters near the airstrip, Mr. Guaidó said that a wide swath of the military now backed him, including top commanders, but he declined to release their names.

“There are generals, there are lieutenant colonels, there are majors, there are colonels — it’s a reflection of the country,” he said.

Image

Troops loyal to Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro launching tear gas from inside the air base.CreditFernando Llano/Associated Press

Maduro calls the move an attempted coup

President Maduro insisted in a Twitter post that the military was on his side, saying commanders had assured him of “their total loyalty to the people, to the Constitution and to the fatherland.”

Jorge Rodríguez, the government’s information minister, said on Twitter that government was “confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors” that he said had taken over the base “to promote a coup.” He blamed the “coup-mongering ultraright,” which he said had pushed for a violent agenda for months in Venezuela.

Clashes spread in Caracas

National guard soldiers and policemen fought against anti-government protesters who were beginning to assemble for a protest in response to Mr. Guaidó’s call. Witnesses said tear gas canisters could be seen detonating near the military base.

The government and supporters of Mr. Guaidó had encircled Mr. Maduro’s presidential palace by midmorning.

Videos posted on social media showed a crowd of protesters approaching the air base, waving Venezuelan flags.

“I believe this is very important, but I see apathy and fear in people,” said one of the protesters, Mary Galaviz, 69. “We should not be afraid. In war there is death, but goals are achieved.”

Miriam Segovia, 52, another protester near the base, said she hoped that the armed forces would “put themselves on the side of the Constitution, so we can escape this misery, this hunger and lack of medication.”

Image

People wait in a long line for several hours to purchase hard-to-find butter and pasta, in January. The Venezuelan economy has been in steep decline since 2014.CreditMeridith Kohut for The New York Times

Venezuela’s economy is devastated

Battered by mismanagement, American sanctions and corruption, the Venezuelan economy has been in steep decline since 2014. Millions of people have emigrated, and the roughly 30 million who remain are plagued by hyperinflation and shortages of medicines, food, electricity and jobs.

Mr. Maduro, who has been in office since 2013, won re-election last year in a contest that was widely seen as fraudulent. In January, the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition and led by Mr. Guaidó, declared the election and the government illegitimate, leading Mr. Guaidó to claim to be the rightful, transitional leader.

More than 50 countries, including the United States and most of its close allies, recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.

Trump reiterates backing for Guaidó

On Tuesday morning, Vice President Mike Pence reiterated American support for the opposition, posting a message of encouragement on Twitter: “To @jgauido, the National Assembly and all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela who are taking to the streets today in #operacionlibertad — Estamos con ustedes! We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored. Vayan con dios!”

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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/world/americas/venezuela-coup-guaido-military.html

2019-04-30 16:03:39Z
52780280474276

Live Updates: Clashes Flare After Venezuela Opposition Leader Calls for Military Uprising - The New York Times

• Clashes between anti-government protesters and law enforcement officers erupted in Caracas on Tuesday after the Venezuelan opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, appeared alongside soldiers at a military base and called for the population to rise up against the president, Nicolás Maduro.

• While Mr. Guaidó has exhorted the Venezuela military to join his side since he declared himself interim president more than three months ago, it was a new step for him to make the declaration with men in uniform by his side. Still, it was unclear how much of the military supports him.

• The Trump administration, which has backed Mr. Guaidó since he first declared himself interim president in January, expressed immediate support for his latest move. “Estamos con ustedes! We are with you!,” Vice President Mike Pence said in a Twitter post.

Opposition leader takes new step

Mr. Guaidó, whose effort to topple Mr. Maduro has made little headway since he declared himself interim president in January, took a new step by making his case publicly at a military base in the heart of the capital.

“Today, brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men attached to the Constitution have followed our call,” Mr. Guaidó said in a video posted on social media, speaking from Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, a military airport in Caracas known as La Carlota.

Mr. Guaidó claimed that “the definitive end of the usurpation starts today,” but it was not clear how many civilians or soldiers would heed him.

Image

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez hugging a supporter after being released from house arrest.CreditRayner Pena/EPA, via Shutterstock

Behind Mr. Guaidó stood Leopoldo López, a member of his party who received a nearly 14-year sentence after staging protests in 2014 and has been held by the government under house arrest. Mr. López did not speak in the video but issued messages on Twitter saying that he had been released by soldiers.

“I was released by the military on the order of the Constitution and President Guaidó,” he wrote in his first Twitter posts since 2017. “Everyone mobilize. It’s time to conquer for freedom.”

Speaking to reporters near the airstrip, Mr. Guaidó said that a wide swath of the military now backed him, including top commanders, but he declined to release their names.

“There are generals, there are lieutenant colonels, there are majors, there are colonels — it’s a reflection of the country,” he said.

Image

Troops loyal to Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro launching tear gas from inside the air base.CreditFernando Llano/Associated Press

Maduro calls the move an attempted coup

President Maduro insisted in a Twitter post that the military was on his side, saying commanders had assured him of “their total loyalty to the people, to the Constitution and to the fatherland.”

Jorge Rodríguez, the government’s information minister, said on Twitter that government was “confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors” that he said had taken over the base “to promote a coup.” He blamed the “coup-mongering ultraright,” which he said had pushed for a violent agenda for months in Venezuela.

Clashes spread in Caracas

National guard soldiers and policemen fought against anti-government protesters who were beginning to assemble for a protest in response to Mr. Guaidó’s call. Witnesses said tear gas canisters could be seen detonating near the military base.

The government and supporters of Mr. Guaidó had encircled Mr. Maduro’s presidential palace by midmorning.

Videos posted on social media showed a crowd of protesters approaching the air base, waving Venezuelan flags.

Image

A member of the National Guard who supports Mr. Guaidó throwing a tear gas canister during a confrontation with guards loyal to Mr. Maduro.CreditYuri Cortez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

“I believe this is very important, but I see apathy and fear in people,” said one of the protesters, Mary Galaviz, 69. “We should not be afraid. In war there is death, but goals are achieved.”

Miriam Segovia, 52, another protester near the base, said she hoped that the armed forces would “put themselves on the side of the Constitution, so we can escape this misery, this hunger and lack of medication.”

Venezuela’s economy is devastated

Battered by mismanagement, American sanctions and corruption, the Venezuelan economy has been in steep decline since 2014. Millions of people have emigrated, and the roughly 30 million who remain are plagued by hyperinflation and shortages of medicines, food, electricity and jobs.

Mr. Maduro, who has been in office since 2013, won re-election last year in a contest that was widely seen as fraudulent. In January, the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition and led by Mr. Guaidó, declared the election and the government illegitimate, leading Mr. Guaidó to claim to be the rightful, transitional leader.

More than 50 countries, including the United States and most of its close allies, recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.

Trump reiterates backing for Guaidó

On Tuesday morning, Vice President Mike Pence reiterated American support for the opposition, posting a message of encouragement on Twitter: “To @jgauido, the National Assembly and all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela who are taking to the streets today in #operacionlibertad — Estamos con ustedes! We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored. Vayan con dios!”

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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/world/americas/venezuela-coup-guaido-military.html

2019-04-30 15:56:15Z
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Clashes Flare After Venezuela Opposition Leader Calls for Military Uprising - The New York Times

Anti-government protesters and law enforcement officers clashed in Caracas on Tuesday after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó appeared alongside soldiers at a military base and called for the population to rise up against the president.

“Today, brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men attached to the Constitution have followed our call,” Mr. Guaidó said in a video posted on social media, speaking from Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, a military airport in Caracas known as La Carlota, in a direct challenge to the government.

He has called before for the military to rise up against the government of President Nicolás Maduro, but doing so flanked by men in uniform, at a base in the heart of the capital, was a new step. With few exceptions, the military has so far protected Mr. Maduro.

Mr. Guaidó claimed that “the definitive end of the usurpation starts today,” but it was not clear how many civilians or soldiers would heed him.

“We are counting on the people of Venezuela today,” he said in the video. “The armed forces are clearly on the side of the people.”

Image

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez hugging a supporter after being released from house arrest.CreditRayner Pena/EPA, via Shutterstock

Jorge Rodríguez, the government’s information minister, said on Twitter that government was “confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors” that he said had taken over the base “to promote a coup.” He blamed the “coup-mongering ultraright,” which he said had pushed for a violent agenda for months in Venezuela.

Behind Mr. Guaidó, who has described himself since January as the country’s interim president, stood Leopoldo López, a member of his party who received a nearly 14-year sentence after staging protests in 2014 and has been held by the government under house arrest. Mr. López did not speak in the video but issued messages on Twitter saying that he had been released by soldiers.

“I was released by the military on the order of the Constitution and President Guaidó,” he wrote in his first Twitter posts since 2017. “Everyone mobilize. It’s time to conquer for freedom.”

Speaking to reporters near the airstrip, Mr. Guaidó said that a wide swath of the military now backed him, including top commanders, but he declined to release their names.

“There are generals, there are lieutenant colonels, there are majors, there are colonels — it’s a reflection of the country,” he said.

Mr. Guaidó said he had had no communication with Mr. Maduro.

The government and supporters of Mr. Guaidó appeared to be bracing for further confrontation. Pro-government armed groups and protesters had encircled Mr. Maduro’s presidential palace by midmorning.

Image

Troops loyal to Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro launching tear gas from inside the air base.CreditFernando Llano/Associated Press

In other parts of the city, national guard soldiers and policemen fought against anti-government protesters who were beginning to assemble for a protest in response to Mr. Guaidó’s call. Witnesses said tear gas canisters could be seen detonating near the military base.

Videos posted on social media showed a crowd of protesters approaching the air base, waving Venezuelan flags.

“I believe this is very important, but I see apathy and fear in people,” said one of the protesters, Mary Galaviz, 69. “We should not be afraid. In war there is death, but goals are achieved.”

Miriam Segovia, 52, another protester near the base, said she hoped that the armed forces would “put themselves on the side of the Constitution, so we can escape this misery, this hunger and lack of medication.”

Battered by mismanagement, American sanctions and corruption, the Venezuelan economy has been in steep decline since 2014. Millions of people have emigrated, and the roughly 30 million who remain are plagued by hyperinflation and shortages of medicines, food, electricity and jobs.

Mr. Maduro, who has been office since 2013, won re-election last year in a contest that was widely seen as fraudulent. In January, the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition and led by Mr. Guaidó, declared the election and the government illegitimate, leading Mr. Guaidó to claim to be the rightful, transitional leader.

Image

A member of the National Guard who supports Mr. Guaidó throwing a tear gas canister during a confrontation with guards loyal to Mr. Maduro.CreditYuri Cortez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

More than 50 countries, including the United States and most of its close allies, recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.

On Tuesday morning, Vice President Mike Pence reiterated American support for the opposition, posting a message of encouragement on Twitter: “To @jgauido, the National Assembly and all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela who are taking to the streets today in #operacionlibertad — Estamos con ustedes! We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored. Vayan con dios!”

The appearance of Mr. Guaidó and Mr. López on Tuesday, with the apparent support of some national guardsmen, prompted immediate rumors in Caracas that the armed forces could be shifting loyalties.

A central pillar of Mr. Guaidó’s strategy has been luring the military to his side, and a number of officers have defected. But that has never amounted to enough for a full-scale uprising against Mr. Maduro.

In January, shortly before Mr. Guaidó declared himself president, members of the national guard pledged allegiance to him at a base in Caracas. The government stormed the base and arrested some of the soldiers.

One of the soldiers later appeared in a Colombian border city seeking asylum, where he joined several thousands of rank-and-file soldiers who had defected.

Please check back for updates.

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2019-04-30 14:35:45Z
52780280474276

Clashes Flare After Venezuela Opposition Leader Calls for Military Uprising - The New York Times

Anti-government protesters and law enforcement officers clashed in Caracas on Tuesday after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó appeared alongside soldiers at a military base and called for the population to rise up against the president.

“Today, brave soldiers, brave patriots, brave men attached to the Constitution have followed our call,” Mr. Guaidó said in a video posted on social media, speaking from Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, a military airport in Caracas known as La Carlota, in a direct challenge to the government.

He has called before for the military to rise up against the government of President Nicolás Maduro, but doing so flanked by men in uniform, at a base in the heart of the capital, was a new step. With few exceptions, the military has so far protected Mr. Maduro.

Mr. Guaidó claimed that “the definitive end of the usurpation starts today,” but it was not clear how many civilians or soldiers would heed him.

“We are counting on the people of Venezuela today,” he said in the video. “The armed forces are clearly on the side of the people.”

Image

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez hugging a supporter after being released from house arrest.CreditRayner Pena/EPA, via Shutterstock

Jorge Rodríguez, the government’s information minister, said on Twitter that government was “confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors” that he said had taken over the base “to promote a coup.” He blamed the “coup-mongering ultraright,” which he said had pushed for a violent agenda for months in Venezuela.

Behind Mr. Guaidó, who has described himself since January as the country’s interim president, stood Leopoldo López, a member of his party who received a nearly 14-year sentence after staging protests in 2014 and has been held by the government under house arrest. Mr. López did not speak in the video but issued messages on Twitter saying that he had been released by soldiers.

“I was released by the military on the order of the Constitution and President Guaidó,” he wrote in his first Twitter posts since 2017. “Everyone mobilize. It’s time to conquer for freedom.”

Speaking to reporters near the airstrip, Mr. Guaidó said that a wide swath of the military now backed him, including top commanders, but he declined to release their names.

“There are generals, there are lieutenant colonels, there are majors, there are colonels — it’s a reflection of the country,” he said.

Mr. Guaidó said he had had no communication with Mr. Maduro.

The government and supporters of Mr. Guaidó appeared to be bracing for further confrontation. Pro-government armed groups and protesters had encircled Mr. Maduro’s presidential palace by midmorning.

Image

Troops loyal to Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro launching tear gas from inside the air base.CreditFernando Llano/Associated Press

In other parts of the city, national guard soldiers and policemen fought against anti-government protesters who were beginning to assemble for a protest in response to Mr. Guaidó’s call. Witnesses said tear gas canisters could be seen detonating near the military base.

Videos posted on social media showed a crowd of protesters approaching the air base, waving Venezuelan flags.

“I believe this is very important, but I see apathy and fear in people,” said one of the protesters, Mary Galaviz, 69. “We should not be afraid. In war there is death, but goals are achieved.”

Miriam Segovia, 52, another protester near the base, said she hoped that the armed forces would “put themselves on the side of the Constitution, so we can escape this misery, this hunger and lack of medication.”

Battered by mismanagement, American sanctions and corruption, the Venezuelan economy has been in steep decline since 2014. Millions of people have emigrated, and the roughly 30 million who remain are plagued by hyperinflation and shortages of medicines, food, electricity and jobs.

Mr. Maduro, who has been office since 2013, won re-election last year in a contest that was widely seen as fraudulent. In January, the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition and led by Mr. Guaidó, declared the election and the government illegitimate, leading Mr. Guaidó to claim to be the rightful, transitional leader.

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A member of the National Guard who supports Mr. Guaidó throwing a tear gas canister during a confrontation with guards loyal to Mr. Maduro.CreditYuri Cortez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

More than 50 countries, including the United States and most of its close allies, recognized him as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.

On Tuesday morning, Vice President Mike Pence reiterated American support for the opposition, posting a message of encouragement on Twitter: “To @jgauido, the National Assembly and all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela who are taking to the streets today in #operacionlibertad — Estamos con ustedes! We are with you! America will stand with you until freedom & democracy are restored. Vayan con dios!”

The appearance of Mr. Guaidó and Mr. López on Tuesday, with the apparent support of some national guardsmen, prompted immediate rumors in Caracas that the armed forces could be shifting loyalties.

A central pillar of Mr. Guaidó’s strategy has been luring the military to his side, and a number of officers have defected. But that has never amounted to enough for a full-scale uprising against Mr. Maduro.

In January, shortly before Mr. Guaidó declared himself president, members of the national guard pledged allegiance to him at a base in Caracas. The government stormed the base and arrested some of the soldiers.

One of the soldiers later appeared in a Colombian border city seeking asylum, where he joined several thousands of rank-and-file soldiers who had defected.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/30/world/americas/venezuela-coup-guaido-military.html

2019-04-30 14:26:15Z
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