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
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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
Here are some dramatic images from the events unfolding today in Caracas:
Here is Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Twitter, writing that the people of Venezuela are "enslaved by a dictator".
Mexico is among the countries that have expressed a willingness to help the situation in Venezuela, if called upon.
John Bolton is now addressing the situation in Venezuela, and has blamed Cuba for playing a part in the violence and unrest there.
"The Cubans, we believe, have played a very significant role in propping Maduro up today, possibly with the help from the Russians," he said. "That's the speculation, certainly in Caracas."
John Bolton has also taken direct aim at the argument coming from Mr Maduro and his team: "This is clearly not a coup."
Mr Bolton was responding to claims that the unrest in Venezuela was planned in Washington.
The Trump White House supports Mr Maduro's opposition challenger, Juan Guaido.
Russian state-owned media is referring to the violence in Russia as a "coup", a notion that John Bolton has pushed back on.
Mr Bolton said that the White House believes Cuba is behind the effort to keep Mr Maduro in office, and that Russians may also be involved.
RT.com — the Russian state-owned outlet — called the events in Caracas a coup in a tweet citing Mr Bolton's call for the Venezuelan military to "protect the constitution".
John Bolton has said that "all options are on the table" in Venezuela, though the Trump administration prefers a "peaceful transfer of power."
Mr Bolton said as much when asked if the US military is prepared to use its military in Venezuela.
Venezuela's foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, has denied that an armed coup is underway in the country.
"It is not a coup attempt from the military. This is directly planned in Washington, in the Pentagon and Department of State, and by Bolton," Mr Arreaza told Reuters. He is referring to US national security adviser John Bolton.
"They are leading this coup and giving orders to this man (Juan) Guaido," he said.
Mr Arreaza also claimd that Mr Moduro is in full control of the situation.
"He is in his place of command as always, and he is in control of the situation. He is making government decisions as he does every day," said Mr Arreaza.
Protests are heating up in Washington outside of the Venezuelan embassy.
Here's a tweet from a reporter on the scene. She has described the protesters as aggressive.
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