Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro prepared to rally his military supporters on Thursday as the U.S. and key allies backed a challenge from his leading rival who declared himself “acting President”.
The announcement by Juan Guaido, 35, head of Venezuela’s Opposition-led legislature, came amid a fresh wave of deadly street clashes on Wednesday. He declared himself acting leader of the oil-rich nation, which has lurched into economic chaos and violence under Mr. Maduro, 56.
The Socialist government responded by warning that the top military leadership would come out “in support of the constitutional President”, Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said. He added the military would show “backing for the sovereignty” of Venezuela.
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Rallying behind Guaido
That was a warning shot to Mr. Maduro’s foreign critics as they rallied behind Mr. Guaido. U.S. President Donald Trump declared Mr. Maduro “illegitimate” and called the National Assembly legislature “the only legitimate branch of government”.
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A furious Mr. Maduro broke off diplomatic ties with the “imperialist” U.S. government, giving its diplomats 72 hours to leave. The U.S. State Department said it did not recognise Mr. Maduro as President any more so his order meant nothing. France added its support for Mr. Guaido, also branding Mr. Maduro “illegitimate” and calling for “the restoration of democracy” in Venezuela.
Mr. Maduro’s key ally Russia, meanwhile, denounced Mr. Guaido’s bid as a “usurpation” of power and condemned what it called foreign “interference” in Venezuela. “This is a direct path to lawlessness and bloodshed,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Mr. Maduro’s key financial backer China also weighed in. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said China opposes “interference” in Venezuelan affairs and called for a “political resolution”.
Days of unrest
Mr. Guaido’s pronouncement capped days of unrest that have seen 13 people killed, the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict said. They were the first mass street protests in Venezuela since a peak of violence in April and July, 2017, when 125 people died in clashes.
Riot police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Opposition protesters in one Caracas suburb, while television pictures also showed armoured vehicles in the capital. Thousands of Mr. Maduro’s supporters, many wearing red, converged outside the presidential palace, Miraflores, to oppose what they said was a U.S.-backed Opposition coup attempt. Elsewhere in Caracas, tens of thousands of Opposition supporters rallied, dressed in white and waving Venezuelan flags. “Guaido, friend, the people are with you,” they chanted.
Mr. Maduro hit back in a speech from a balcony at the presidential palace, lashing out at Mr. Trump. He condemned what he called the U.S. leader’s “extremist policy” as “a very serious folly”. “Trying to impose a government by extra-constitutional means, we cannot accept that.”
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres appealed for dialogue to avoid the political crisis spiralling out of control. “What we hope is that dialogue can be possible, and that we avoid an escalation...” he said in Davos.