Venezuela’s defence minister rejects ‘coup attempt’ by Guaido

Diosdado Cabello, the head of Venezuela’s pro-government
constituent assembly, has called on supporters of President Nicolas
Maduro to rally at the presidential palace after opposition leader
Juan Guaido said troops had joined him to overthrow Maduro.

Guaido, speaking earlier on Tuesday near the La Carlota air
force base in Caracas, said the “final phase” to end Maduro’s
presidency had begun.

Guaido, in a video posted on his Twitter account, was speaking
in the company of men in military uniform and opposition politician
Leopoldo Lopez, who had been under house arrest after he was found
guilty of inciting violence during anti-government protests in
2014.

“The national armed forces have taken the correct decision, and
they are counting on the support of the Venezuelan people,” Guaido
said.

He also called on people to go out to the streets and asked them
to go to La Carlota.

En el marco de nuestra constitución. Y por
el cese definitivo de la usurpación. https://t.co/3RD2bnQhxt^[1]

— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) April
30, 2019^[2]

Minister of Defence Vladimir Padrino said in a Tweet that the
armed forces remained “firmly in defence of the constitutional
order”.

Son unos cobardes!! Nos mantendremos firmes
en defensa del orden constitucional y de la paz de la República,
asistidos como estamos por la ley, la razón y la historia. ¡Leales
Siempre, Traidores nunca!

— Vladimir Padrino L. (@vladimirpadrino) April
30, 2019^[3]

Venezuela’s information minister, Jorge Rodriguez, on Twitter
said the government is “confronting a small group of military
traitors” that are seeking to promote a coup.

Tear gas was fired on a highway near the airbase where Guaido
appeared with the military men.

Informamos al pueblo de Venezuela que en
estos momentos estamos enfrentando y desactivando a un reducido
grupo de efectivos militares traidores que se posicionaron en el
Distribuidor Altamira para promover un Golpe de Estado contra la
Constitución y la paz de la República… 1/2

— Jorge Rodríguez (@jorgerpsuv) April
30, 2019^[4]

Guaido has been travelling outside the capital, Caracas, more
and more in recent weeks, trying to put pressure on Maduro to step
down.

Protests are planned for Wednesday, May 1, including what Guaido
has said will be “the largest march in Venezuela’s history”, part
of what he calls the “definitive phase” of his effort to take
office in order to call fresh elections.

Maduro calls Guaido a US-backed puppet who seeks to overthrow
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
legislator Gilber Caro – had been arrested, and that 11 members of
his team had been summoned to appear before the Sebin intelligence
agency.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

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