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Venezuela opposition leader claims coup is under way – live news Venezuela opposition leader claims coup is under way – live news
(32 minutes later)
This is from López himself:
The definitive phase towards the end of the usurpation has begun, Operation Freedom. I’ve been freed by soldiers following the constitution and President Guaidó. I’m at the La Carlota base. Let’s all mobilise. It’s time to win Freedom. Stength and Faith.
Venezuela: ha iniciado la fase definitiva para el cese de la usurpación, la Operación Libertad. He sido liberado por militares a la orden de la Constitución y del Presidente Guaidó. Estoy en la Base La Carlota. Todos a movilizarnos. Es hora de conquistar la Libertad. Fuerza y Fe pic.twitter.com/Awm6P09ZM0
Venezuela’s socialist party boss, Diosdado Cabello, has called on government supporters to amass at the presidential palace to defend Nicolás Maduro from what he says is a small uprising of traitorous military soldiers backed by the US.
His comments in a phone call to state TV came after opposition leader Juan Guaidó appeared in a video with a small contingent of heavily armed soldiers and formerly detained opposition activist Leopoldo López calling for Venezuelans to take to the streets to oust Maduro.
Cabello downplayed the significance of the rebellion, saying Caracas is in calm and that the Carlota air base near where the rebellious soldiers are gathered had not been touched. (Via AP)
A useful piece here on who Leopoldo López is an why he’s such an important figure:
Leopoldo López has been under house arrest since 2017, but he played a key role in Juan Guaidó’s sudden ascent from the political margin to Venezuela’s would-be president.
It was López who ensured Guaidó would lead the national assembly when Maduro began his second term in early January, placing his man at the centre of a geopolitical storm when the US and a host of other democracies recognised him as the country’s legitimate president.
Leopoldo López: scion of Venezuelan elite dedicated to burying Chavismo
This from Antonio Tajani, the president of the European parliament:
Today marks a historic day for the return of democracy and freedom to Venezuela - which the European parliament has always supported. The freeing of Leopold López by soldiers obeying the constitution is great news. Long live a free Venezuela!
Our Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, has just tweeted this:
Still not clear what is going on in Venezuela this morning but this is an all-or-nothing move from Guaidó & his team. No way to back track from an attempt to seize a key military installation right at the heart of the capital.
More from AP:
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó has taken to the streets with a small contingent of heavily-armed soldiers and detained activist Leopoldo López in a military uprising.
“This is the moment of all Venezuelans, those in uniform and those who aren’t,” said López in his first public appearance since being detained in 2014 for leading anti-government protests. “Everyone should come to the streets, in peace.”
The Associated Press (AP) is reporting that Leopoldo López, the opposition politician who is meant to be under house arrest, has been freed by military - which explains his presence next to Guaidó.
US Senator Marco Rubio, who has been instrumental in shaping Trump’s Venezuela policy, is on Twitter, urging Venezuelan military personeel and civilians to rise up:US Senator Marco Rubio, who has been instrumental in shaping Trump’s Venezuela policy, is on Twitter, urging Venezuelan military personeel and civilians to rise up:
This is the moment for those military officers in #Venezuela to fulfill their constitutional oath & defend the legitimate interim President @jguaido in this effort to restore democracy. You can write history in the hours & days ahead.This is the moment for those military officers in #Venezuela to fulfill their constitutional oath & defend the legitimate interim President @jguaido in this effort to restore democracy. You can write history in the hours & days ahead.
After years of suffering freedom is waiting for people of #Venezuela. Do not let them take this opportunity from you. Now is the moment to take to the streets in support of your legitimate constitutional government. Do not allow this moment to slip away. It may not come againAfter years of suffering freedom is waiting for people of #Venezuela. Do not let them take this opportunity from you. Now is the moment to take to the streets in support of your legitimate constitutional government. Do not allow this moment to slip away. It may not come again
This just in from the Associated Press:This just in from the Associated Press:
Tear gas fired on highway near Caracas air base where opposition leader Guaidó has appeared with soldiers.Tear gas fired on highway near Caracas air base where opposition leader Guaidó has appeared with soldiers.
Venezuela’s information minister, Jorge Rodríguez, has just tweeted this:Venezuela’s information minister, Jorge Rodríguez, has just tweeted this:
We inform the Venezuelan people that we are currently tackling and putting down a small group of traitorous military personnel who … are engaged in a coup d’état against the constitution and the peace of the republic. This effort is being backed by the murderous, coup-plotting extreme right, which announced its violent plans months ago. We call on the people to remain on maximum alert so that, together with the glorious national Bolivarian armed forces, we can defeat the attempted coup and preserve the peace. We will prevail.We inform the Venezuelan people that we are currently tackling and putting down a small group of traitorous military personnel who … are engaged in a coup d’état against the constitution and the peace of the republic. This effort is being backed by the murderous, coup-plotting extreme right, which announced its violent plans months ago. We call on the people to remain on maximum alert so that, together with the glorious national Bolivarian armed forces, we can defeat the attempted coup and preserve the peace. We will prevail.
My colleague Emma Graham-Harrison has written a piece on the breaking story:My colleague Emma Graham-Harrison has written a piece on the breaking story:
In a possible sign that Guaidó can only count on the support of a portion of the military, he called on Venezuelans to come out into the streets in a show of non-violent force.In a possible sign that Guaidó can only count on the support of a portion of the military, he called on Venezuelans to come out into the streets in a show of non-violent force.
‘People of Venezuela, its necessary that we all go out into the streets, to support democracy and recover our liberty. Organised and united, we should move to the main military installations,’ he said, calling on those in the capital to head to the air base where he made the recording. ‘People of Caracas, everyone to La Carlota.‘People of Venezuela, its necessary that we all go out into the streets, to support democracy and recover our liberty. Organised and united, we should move to the main military installations,’ he said, calling on those in the capital to head to the air base where he made the recording. ‘People of Caracas, everyone to La Carlota.
‘The armed forces have taken the correct decision, they can count on the support of the people of Venezuela, the support of our constitution, the guarantee that they are on the right side of history,’ he said in a statement on Twitter.‘The armed forces have taken the correct decision, they can count on the support of the people of Venezuela, the support of our constitution, the guarantee that they are on the right side of history,’ he said in a statement on Twitter.
Welcome to the Guardian’s liveblog of what could be a momentous day in Venezuela. The opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, has appeared in a video posted online to launch what he called the “final phase” of his plan to oust President Nicolás Maduro.Welcome to the Guardian’s liveblog of what could be a momentous day in Venezuela. The opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, has appeared in a video posted online to launch what he called the “final phase” of his plan to oust President Nicolás Maduro.
In the video, posted on his Twitter account, Guaidó called on Venezuelans and the military to support his bid to end Maduro’s “usurpation”.In the video, posted on his Twitter account, Guaidó called on Venezuelans and the military to support his bid to end Maduro’s “usurpation”.
He was speaking in the company of men in military uniform and opposition politician Leopoldo Lápez, who is under house arrest. He said he was at the Caracas air base La Carlota.He was speaking in the company of men in military uniform and opposition politician Leopoldo Lápez, who is under house arrest. He said he was at the Caracas air base La Carlota.
“The national armed forces have taken the correct decision, and they count on the support of the Venezuelan people,” Guaido said.“The national armed forces have taken the correct decision, and they count on the support of the Venezuelan people,” Guaido said.
En el marco de nuestra constitución. Y por el cese definitivo de la usurpación. https://t.co/3RD2bnQhxtEn el marco de nuestra constitución. Y por el cese definitivo de la usurpación. https://t.co/3RD2bnQhxt