Venezuela news LIVE: Pompeo threatens US military action 'if required' as country braces for more protests amid uprising
Thousands of people are expected to take to the streets in Venezuela in competing protests as the battle for power continues in Caracas and beyond.
Opposition leader Juan Guaido has declared himself the legitimate leader of the country, backed by the US and dozens of other nations, after accusing President Nicolas Maduro of fraudulently keeping his place in office. He has called for mass protests.
Mr Maduro has called the uprising a ‘coup’ and has said that he has subdued the ‘traitors’ in the military who have backed Mr Guaido. He too has called for his “working class supporters” to take to the streets on Wednesday, which is International Workers’ Day.
US secetary of state Mike Pompeo said that the US will take military action in Venezuela “if required” but would prefer a peaceful solution to the crisis.
Violent street battles erupted in parts of Caracas on Tuesday, with protesters throwing rocks at government forces. At least one military vehicle ran over a group of demonstrators.
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John Bolton, seemingly on media duties along with Mike Pompeo, has been outside the White House talking to reporters. He is again attacking Russia and Cuba claiming that if Havana's troops left Venezuela now, Mr Maduro would "fall by midnight".
Stones, spent shotgun shells and tear gas canisters litter some streets in Venezuela's capital, as citizens digest the events from yesterday.
One man died in Tuesday's demonstrations, which spanned across 65 cities, according to Venezuelan rights monitoring group Provea.
Two other rights groups in Venezuela -- the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), and the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict -- also reported the death.
IACHR also said that protests were held in 24 states and, in at least 12 of the states, were “strongly repressed.”
When asked by CNN whether he thought Mr Maduro would still be in power at the end of the day, Mr Bolton was non-committal. But he did say of the Venezuelan government that "one kick at the door and the whole rotten edifice falls down".
Mike Pompeo is scheduled to speak with his Russian counterpart., foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, White House national security advisor John Bolton has said.
As we await for crowds to take to the streets again today, here are some images of the scenes from yesterday. An opposition supporter throws stones at soldiers loyal to Nicolas Maduro (AP)
An anti-government protester near a bus that set on fire by opponents of Mr Maduro during clashes between rebel and loyalist soldiers in Caracas (AP)
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an order prohibiting U.S. air operators from flying below 26,000 feet in Venezuela's airspace until further notice, citing "increasing political instability and tensions".
The FAA notice said any air operators currently in Venezuela, which would include private jets, should depart within 48 hours.
The US has been tweeting out parts of that Fox Business interview in Spanish, presumably for consumption in South America.
Excuse my Spanish, but a rough translation is: "'Nerves of steel" have not been shown much today. While Juan Guiadó is talking to the people of Venezuela, in the streets, shaking hands and gathering people to support him, Nicholas Maduro has been hiding "– Secretary Pompeo tells @BretBaier of Fox News
The US, and President Trump, have threatened such action before - but it gains a new dimension given the White House's support of the opposition's actions
Back in Washington, Mike Pompeo has said that the United States was prepared to take military action to stem the ongoing turmoil in Venezuela.
“Military action is possible. If that's what's required, that's what the United States will do,” Mr Pompeo told Fox Business Network, but added that the United States would prefer a peaceful transition of power in Venezuela.
As part of such an "information war," the Russian Embassy in London has tweeted remarks blaming the "radical" opposition for "resorting to violence".
Yesterday, amid protesters throwing stones and other projectiles at government-supporting soldiers a military vehicle ran into a group of demonstrators.
US Secretary of state Mike Pompeo suggested yesterday during an interview with CNN that Mr Maduro had been ready to board a plane to Cuba yesterday morning - but was talked out of it by Moscow. Mr Maduro later denied the suggestion.
Russia is one of Venezuela's largest international backers. It has sent aid to the country and Rosneft, the Russian oil giant, has poured millions of pounds worth of investment into the country's oil sector.
Donald Trump's national security advisor John Bolton has been tweeting again this morning. The reference to "foreign security forces" is likely a reference to both Cuba and Russia.
