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Officials for Venezuela President Maduro say government fighting coup as opposition calls for uprisi
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2019/04/30/venezuela-officials-say-government-fighting-coup-attempt-amid-uprising/3624820002/Officials loyal to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said they were confronting a "coup" on Tuesday, as opposition leader Juan Guaido called for a popular uprising and claimed the support of the military.
In a video message, Guaido said he had begun the “final phase” of his plan to oust Maduro and he called on the military to support him in his bid to end Maduro’s “usurpation,” according to Reuters.
“The moment is now,” Guaido said in the three-minute video taken at a Caracas air base and showing him surrounded by soldiers and accompanied by detained activist Leopoldo Lopez, his political mentor.
In response, Jorge Rodriguez, Venezuela's information minister, declared that Maduro's forces were "currently confronting and deactivating a small group of traitor military personnel" who were at a military base to "promote a coup d'état."