Juan Guaidó and soldier shake hands
By Melanius Alphonse
Caribbean News Now associate managing editor
[email protected]
CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan opposition leaders Juan Guaidó and Leopoldo Lopez called for a military uprising against President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, which quickly gained unwavering support from the US on Tuesday. In a three-minute video by Guaidó published in the early hours of Tuesday, he announced he had the support of “brave soldiers” in Caracas.
“People of Venezuela, let’s take to the streets… to support the end of the usurpation, which is irreversible… The National Armed Forces have taken the correct decision, they have the support of the people of Venezuela, and the backing of our constitution, they are guaranteed to be on the right side of history,” he said.
He was filmed alongside another opposition leader, López, who has been under house arrest since being found guilty of inciting violence during anti-government protests in 2014. López said he had been freed by members of the military who had declared their loyalty to Guaidó.
Guaidó, the president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, has been calling on the military to back him ever since he declared himself interim national president. He argues that Maduro is a “usurper” because he was re-elected in polls that had been widely disputed.
US President Donald Trump and 54 countries have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela since January, wrote on Twitter, “I am monitoring the situation in Venezuela very closely. The United States stands with…
