Venezuela opposition 'has met military', says Juan Guaidó
Venezuela crisis: Juan Guaidó says family has been threatened
(about 1 hour later)
Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaidó says he has held secret meetings with the military to win support for ousting President Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela's self-declared interim president Juan Guaidó has said his family has been threatened, amid the country's continuing political crisis.
Mr Guaidó declared himself interim president earlier this month and was immediately recognised by the US and several Latin American countries.
In a speech at Venezuela's Central University, he said police had visited his family home looking for his wife.
Major powers Russia and China back Mr Maduro and military support is seen as crucial to his hold on power.
Mr Guaidó declared himself president this month and was recognised by the US and several Latin American countries.
The crisis comes as Mr Maduro began a second term after controversial polls.
Russia and China have backed President Nicolás Maduro.
Many opposition candidates were barred from running or jailed.
Military support is seen as crucial to Mr Maduro's hold on power. But Mr Guaidó says he has held secret meetings with the military to win support for ousting Mr Maduro.
About three million people have fled Venezuela amid acute economic problems, and there has been an upsurge in violence in recent weeks.
Protests have been held across the country since Mr Maduro began his second term on 10 January. He was elected last year during a controversial vote in which many opposition candidates were barred from running, or jailed.
US President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday that he had spoken to Mr Guaidó and supported his "historic assumption of the presidency", writing in a second tweet that "The fight for freedom has begun!"
About three million people have fled Venezuela amid acute economic problems.
UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt meanwhile is expected to urge EU nations to impose sanctions on key figures in Mr Maduro's government on Thursday, after also speaking to Mr Guaidó on Wednesday.
What has Mr Guaidó been saying?
The European Parliament voted on Thursday in a non-binding resolution to recognise Mr Guaidó as interim president until fresh elections can be called.
"Right now, special forces were at my home asking for Fabiana," said the opposition leader during a speech at the university, announcing his plan for the country.
"Right now the dictatorship thinks they will frighten us. I received this information before I came here. But I didn't start with that. I started with a plan for all Venezuelans."
Addressing security forces directly, he said: "I will hold you responsible for any intimidation of my baby, who is just 20 months old."
What are the latest diplomatic moves?
On Thursday, the European Parliament voted, in a non-binding resolution, to recognise Mr Guaidó as interim president until fresh elections can be called.
The European Parliament has no foreign policy powers but urged the European Union and its member states to follow suit.
The European Parliament has no foreign policy powers but urged the European Union and its member states to follow suit.
US President Donald Trump tweeted on Wednesday that he had spoken to Mr Guaidó and supported his "historic assumption of the presidency", writing in a second tweet that "the fight for freedom has begun!"
UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is expected to urge EU nations to impose sanctions on key figures in Mr Maduro's government on Thursday, after also speaking to Mr Guaidó on Wednesday.
Inside Venezuela, there are reports of international journalists being detained. Spanish news agency EFE says three of its journalists are being deported to Colombia.
Inside Venezuela, there are reports of international journalists being detained. Spanish news agency EFE says three of its journalists are being deported to Colombia.
Two French journalists, working for a TV programme called Quotidien, have also been detained. Two others, from Chile, have already been deported.
Two French journalists, working for a TV programme called Quotidien, have also been detained. Two others, from Chile, have already been deported.
What did Mr Guaidó say?
"We have had clandestine meetings with members of the armed forces and the security forces," Mr Guaidó writes in an article in the New York Times.
"The military's withdrawal of support from Mr Maduro is crucial to enabling a change in government, and the majority of those in service agree that the country's recent travails are untenable."
The article also says the opposition has offered an amnesty to armed forces "found not guilty of crimes against humanity".
However Mr Guaidó did not say who in the military he had been speaking with or what their positions were.
Venezuela's top military representative to the US Col José Luis Silva has defected - but senior military figures in Venezuela have supported Mr Maduro.
As head of Venezuela's National Assembly, Mr Guaidó says the constitution allows him to assume power temporarily when the president is deemed illegitimate.
Venezuela's Supreme Court has banned the opposition leader from leaving the country, however, and frozen his bank accounts.
Venezuela's president earlier told Russian news agency RIA he was prepared to hold talks with the opposition "so that we could talk for the good of Venezuela".
He added that he was not prepared to accept ultimatums or blackmail, and insisted that he has the backing of Venezuela's military, accusing deserters of conspiring to plot a coup.
The armed forces have played a key role in supporting his government, with many officers holding posts as ministers or other influential positions.
Analysts say some members of the military may also be reluctant to switch sides for fear being held to account for alleged corruption and rights violations despite the offer of amnesty.
What else has been happening?
Mr Guaidó's piece was published as fresh protests began against Mr Maduro.
The BBC's Guillermo Olmo in Caracas says Wednesday's protests were modest in size, in line with opposition calls for small-scale actions, but that the protest movement is growing in poorer areas once seen as government strongholds.
Meanwhile, a Russian airliner that made a surprise landing in Caracas on Monday has departed the country. National Assembly member and former central bank economist Jose Guerra said central bank officials had told him the plane had come to collect 20 tonnes of gold from the country's central bank.
However on Wednesday Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was not aware of any such plans.
US National Security Adviser John Bolton warned businesses not to deal in "gold, oil, or other Venezuelan commodities" stolen from the people by "the Maduro mafia".
In other developments:
What's the international reaction?
The US and more than 20 other nations have backed Mr Guaidó.
On Monday, the US imposed curbs on the country's state-owned oil firm PDVSA.
Mr Maduro has the backing of Russia, China, and Turkey.
Russian officials have denied reports that mercenaries from the country have been sent to protect his life.
Mexico and Uruguay meanwhile have announced plans for a conference of "neutral" countries on 7 February in Uruguay's capital Montevideo, to discuss the crisis.
US officials have previously stated that all options "are on the table" to resolve the crisis in Venezuela, which observers have taken to include possible military action.
Mr Bolton also appeared at a news briefing with a notepad showing the words "5,000 troops to Colombia", which borders Venezuela.
The Lima Group - a 14-country body including Canada set up in 2017 to find a peaceful solution to the crisis - has opposed any military intervention in the country.
