Venezuela news Police vehicles drive at opposition supporters as Maduro forces try to put down Guaido's 'military-backed' coup

The protests are expected to last into the night and potentially longer

Venezuelan military vehicle drives into crowd of civilians on highway

Venezuela has seen a day of tumult and protests as the country's opposition leader Juan Guaido began what he described as the "final phase" of his plan to take wrest control of the Venezuelan government from president Nicolas Maduro.

The day of unrest began on Tuesday with Mr Guaido appearing in a video surrounded by troops who he said had put their weight behind the opposition leader's claim to leadership — a claim that Mr Guaido would make repeatedly throughout the day at several locations in Caracas.

As the day progressed, Mr Maduro described the effort to remove him from office as a "coup" dreamed up in Washington, and claimed that he had been assured of "total loyalty" to his cause by military leaders in the country. In a later interview, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that Mr Maduro was prepared to flee the country on Tuesday morning, but had been talked out of doing so by Russian officials.

But, as images and videos of violence broadcast around the world from Caracas, several officials in countries around the world weighed in on the events, including John Bolton, the national security adviser in the White House. Mr Bolton told reporters at the White House that no options had been taken off the table for the United States, including military action, even though a peaceful transfer of power was preferable.

During those remarks, Mr Bolton suggested that the Cuban government and military was propping up thee Maduro regime. Later, in a tweet, Mr Bolton tagged several senior aides to Mr Maduro to tell them "your time is up."

"This is your last chance," Mr Bolton wrote. "Accept Interim President Guaido's amnesty, protect the Constitution, and remove Maduro, and we will take you off our sanctions list. Stay with Maduro, and go down with the ship."

Back in Venezuela, Mr Guaido called for Venezuelans and the military to back him to end Mr Maduro's "usurpation", declaring: "The moment is now."

There is some expectation that demonstrations — which included reports of gunfire, and military vehicles driving into crowds of demonstrators — would last through the night and into Wednesday.

Thanks for reading along as we watched the situation in Venezuela

Key Points

• Guido declares 'moment is now' in video showing him flanked by troops
• President 'firmly' in control and retains support of military, insists government
• Military vehicles seen driving into opposition demonstrators on the street
• Opposition activist freed from house arrest 'by intelligence service'
• Gunfire on streets of Caracas
• Guaido's ambassador to the US calls for 'persistent' presence in the streets of Caracas

[30 April 2019 12:53 · Chris Baynes]

Venezuela's government has insisted it is firmly in country despite Juan Guaido's claims to have secured military support for a coup.

Defense minister Vladimir Padrino said armed forces remained "firmly in defence of the national constitution and legitimate authorities," and that all military units across Venezuela "report normality" in their barracks and bases.

"We reject this coup movement, which aims to fill the country with violence," he added.

[30 April 2019 12:57 · Chris Baynes]

Spain's acting government has called for a bloodless and peaceful transition to a democratic presidential election in Venezuela. 

Government spokeswoman Isabel Celaa said Madrid was following closely developments in Caracas, where the opposition has called for Venezuelans to take to the streets to oust Nicolas Maduro from power. 

"We hope with all of our strength that there is no bloodshed. We support a peaceful democratic process in Venezuela. We support the immediate holding of an election for a new president," Celaa during a routine press briefing this afternoon.

Spain has recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela but has not cut ties with Maduro's government. 

More than 177,000 Spaniards live in Venezuela, and Spain has become a destination for thousands of Venezuelans escaping the political and economic crisis in recent years. 

Celaa said Guaido has "legitimacy to lead democratic transition in Venezuela" and "represents the alternative".

She added acting Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez, who is currently weighing up a government in his own country, was closely monitoring events.

[30 April 2019 13:04 · Chris Baynes]

A US-based Venezuelan TV channel has broadcast footage of what it says is troops joining in support of Juan Guaido.

The footage appears to show a crowd applauding armed soldiers as they step over a wall to join them.

[30 April 2019 13:09 · Chris Baynes]

Opposition activist Leopoldo Lopez escaped house arrest with the help of guards from Venezuela's intelligence service, according to reports:

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[30 April 2019 13:22 · Chris Baynes]

US-based channel TV Venezuela Noticias has tweeted footage showing soldiers and guns set up on a bridge in Caracas. There are also boxes of bananas, suggesting the troops are anticipating being stationed there for the long haul: 

[30 April 2019 13:28 · Chris Baynes]

Guaido supporters in Caracas are attempting to convince solders at La Carlota military base to join them - and are being tear-gassed in response, according to Bloomberg reporter Andy Rosati:

[30 April 2019 13:31 · Chris Baynes]

US president Donald Trump has been informed of developments in Caracas and is "monitoring the ongoing situation", White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has said.

Trump's administration has lent support to Juan Guaido, who the president recognised as Venezuela's interim president in January.

[30 April 2019 13:41 · Chris Baynes]

Russian president Vladimir Putin has discussed the ongoing military uprising in Venezuela with his top security body, according to the Kremlin.

Russian news agencies quoted spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying that Putin had raised the current developments in Venezuela during his scheduled meeting with the Security Council. 

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

[30 April 2019 13:44 · Chris Baynes]

Spain's El Mundo newspaper has obtained footage of clashes in the vicinity of La Carlota military base:

[30 April 2019 14:04 · Chris Baynes]

US national security adviser John Bolton has backed Juan Guaido's call for support for an uprising to oust Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.

In a tweet addressed to Venezuela's defence minister, he said that FANB - the country's armed forces - "should stand by the National Assembly", of which Guaido is the leader: