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 14:06 · Chris Baynes]

Gunshots have been heard at a rally led by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido outside a Caracas air base, witnesses have told Reuters.

The witnesses said men in military uniform, who were accompanying Guaido at the scene, had exchanged fire with soldiers acting in support of president Nicolas Maduro. The shots appeared to be live rounds, they added.

[30 April 2019 14:09 · Chris Baynes]

Bolivia's president, a key ally of Nicolas Maduro, has accused the US of provoking a "coup" in Venezuela. 

Writing on Twitter, Evo Morales urged Latin American governments "to condemn the coup d'etat in Venezuela and keep the violence from claiming innocent lives." 

He blamed the US for "provoking violence and death in Venezuela." 

[30 April 2019 14:30 · Chris Baynes]

The US government "fully supports" Juan Guaido's call for an uprising, secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said:

[30 April 2019 14:52 · Chris Baynes]

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has just left a rally he was holding with military supporters at the La Carlota air base in Caracas, Reuters has reported.

[30 April 2019 15:15 · Chris Baynes]

There are multiple videos circulating on social media that appear to show gunfire on the streets of Caracas. 

Protesters can be seen running as shots ring out close to La Carlota military base, where supporters of Juan Guaido have been appealing for troops to join the uprising against president Nicolas Maduro.

Both Reuters and CNN have also reported witness accounts of gunfire.

[30 April 2019 15:27 · Chris Baynes]

Nicolas Maduro says he has spoken with his country's military leaders and they have pledged their "total loyalty".

In his public comments since the coup attempt began today, the Venezuelan president tweeted: "Nerves of steel! I have spoken with the commanders ... who have expressed their total loyalty to the people, to the Constitution and to the fatherland.

"I call for maximum popular mobilisation to ensure the victory of peace."

[30 April 2019 15:58 · Chris Baynes]

Juan Guaido has urged Venezuelans "the time is now" to take power off Nicolas Maduro, claiming the uprising is "irreversible".

Writing on Twitter, the opposition leader added: "The future is ours: people and Armed Forces united by the cessation of usurpation. Together we are invincible!

"The streets of Venezuela continue to be filled with people and more people! Up all the Venezuelans who are going out to the streets. Brothers, we're making history. The cessation of usurpation is irreversible."

[30 April 2019 16:17 · Chris Baynes]

Brazil's government supports a democratic transition in Venezuela and expects its neighbor's military to get behind opposition leader Juan Guaido and push President Nicolas Maduro out of power, its foreign minister has said.

"Brazil supports the democratic transition process and hopes the Venezuelan military will be part of that," foreign minister Ernesto Araujo said.

He added that it was "positive" to see movement of some Venezuelan military toward recognising Guaido as the legitimate president of their country.

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Venezuela as the government receives information on developments there, vice president Hamilton Mourao told reporters.

Brazil is one of dozens of Western countries that have recognized Guaido as the interim leader of Venezuela, but it has opposed military intervention there to overthrow Maduro's socialist government.

[30 April 2019 16:30 · Adam Forrest]

Venezuela’s foreign minister Jorge Arreaza has accused the Trump administration of to spark an internal conflict” in his country. It follows a tweet by US national security advisor John Bolton claiming “the current path toward democracy is irreversible”.

[30 April 2019 16:32 · Adam Forrest]

Mexico has expressing concern over possible escalation of violence and bloodshed in Venezuela.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador repeated in a Tuesday morning news conference that he believes in dialogue.

The foreign relations department has issued a statement reiterating its willingness to seek a peaceful resolution through dialogue and says it is in contact with other countries with the goal of “finding a common path”.

Mexico is not among the nations that have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself the rightful leader of Venezuela in a challenge to Nicolas Maduro.