On Wednesday morning, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro remained in office. His opponent, the self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaidó, had announced the day before that the revolution in the South American country was imminent. Critical sections of the military had sided with him.

That does not seem to be the case for the time being.

Guaidó called the people for Wednesday evening yet the largest protest so far in the history of Venezuela, on the eve there had already been violent clashes between security forces and demonstrators. The army warned against bloodshed.

The situation in Venezuela, with almost 32 million inhabitants, remains tense - and it employs far more political powers than just the local adversaries. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov wanted to discuss the situation on Wednesday in a telephone conversation, said John Bolton, national security adviser to US President Donald Trump, Fox News.

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Venezuela: call for revolt

The US considers Russia as an important supporter of Maduro. Pompeo had said on Tuesday that Maduro had agreed to leave the country but had been persuaded to stay by Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry denied and countered, "Washington is trying its best to demoralize the Venezuelan army, and now uses fakes as part of the information war," said foreign policy spokeswoman Maria Sakharova the news channel CNN.

According to Bolton, the US wants to prevent Russia from expanding its influence on Venezuela. "The most important thing we are doing here is that we will not see the Russians taking over a country in the Western Hemisphere - not directly, not through their deputies, the Cubans". There is no shortage of threatening gestures: Pompeo described a military intervention in an interview with Fox as "possible." President Trump is prepared for such a move when it becomes "necessary," Pompeo said, adding that his government continues to hope that military intervention will not be necessary. "We hope there can be a peaceful solution" and that Venezuelan President Maduro will give up his post "without violence".

The oil-rich country in the north of South America is becoming the focus of geopolitical and economic interests. Who are the actors in the power play for resources and locational advantages - and who supports whom in the domestic conflict between Maduro and Guaidó? The overview:

These are Maduro's supporters

Cristian Hernßndez / Agencia EFE / imago images

Venezuelan President Maduro: support from China and Russia

The military: The former bus driver Maduro, in office since 2013, has been transformed from a socialist president Chavist style to an autocrat who ruled the country with hard hand and decrees past the parliament. The commander in chief of the army, however, remain loyal to him for the time being, although there are increasing reports that many officers are leaving in neighboring countries to work for the opposition of Guaidó. Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on Tuesday that the armed forces would continue to defend the constitution and the "legitimate authorities."

The Supreme Court: The supreme judges of Venezuela are so far behind Maduro - no wonder, the dignitaries are almost all appointed by him loyalists. In January, they declared null and void of all decisions of the Guaidó-led National Assembly.

The industry: The state oil company PDVSA, which manages the lion's share of Venezuelan oil exports and profits, is also behind the president. The bosses were mostly appointed by Maduro.

Russia: The Keml has long supported Venezuela militarily and financially with billion credits (estimated at about $ 17 billion). The geostrategic importance of the country for Russia is obvious: it is on the doorstep of the US on the Gulf of Mexico. Russian state-owned companies have also made massive investments in Venezuela's extractive industry, and a change of government would likely have a negative impact on their business and profits. About 100 Russian military advisors are said to be in Venezuela, and in December Moscow stationed two nuclear-capable Tu-160 supersonic bombers.

China: Beijing is Venezuela's largest lender. Since 2008, the Chinese leadership has been investing in infrastructure (including medical goods) and oil projects. It is estimated that up to $ 70 billion has flowed from Beijing to Venezuela, with most of the country paying its debts to oil. So China, like Russia, has great interest in seeing economic interests and political influence secured by continuity.

Yuri Cortez / AFP

Bolivian units support Venezuelan President Maduro

Turkey and Iran: Ankara has repeatedly spoken out in favor of Maduro's support. Guaidó's overthrow attempt called the Erdogan government an attack on the constitutional order. The Iranian regime has been critical of the US sanctions on Maduro and promised support to the president. In early April, an Iranian delegation traveled to Caracas to discuss a new route between the two countries. Many international airlines have now put their routes to Venezuela on hold.

Latin America's left: Some leftist and socialist governments in Central and South America, including Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua, are among Maduro's solidary supporters. According to rumors, in the event of a coup on May 1, the president wanted to take a private plane to Havana. US security adviser John Bolton described the authoritarian regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba as a "troika of tyranny". Also in Mexico, where since last year the left Andres ruled Manuel Lopez Obrador, has signaled readiness to dialogue, after the previous government had positioned itself strictly against Maduro.

These are Guaidó's supporters

Fernando Llano / AP

Transitional President Juan Guaidó: Support from the US and Europe

The US: The list of political interventions in Central and South America is long, and the United States's main concern is not to allow Russia to have geostrategic bridgeheads close to its own borders. The conservative Trump government was one of Guaidó's first active supporters against the Maduro regime and has imposed severe sanctions on Venezuela to force him out of office. With military intervention, see above, so far only threatened.

South America's Rights: Brazil, South America's largest country and direct neighbor of Venezuela, is taking sides with Trump under the new far-right government of Jair Bolsonaro and calling Maduro a dictator. However, Americans should not hope for military support from Brazil, should that happen. Countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru, which also have more conservative to right-wing governments in power, are also Guaidó's supporters.

The EU: Germany, the UK, France and Spain, as well as many other EU countries, have recognized the interim government of centrist Democrat Guaidó in a joint statement. The EU is about a political, in the best case, democratic solution to the conflict without military escalation. Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) is currently in Colombia on a state visit and met with Venezuelan opposition politicians Wednesday morning, including Guaidó's "shadow foreign minister" Julio Borges, who lives in Bogota. Maas announced plans to increase aid for Venezuelan refugees in Colombia by four million euros, and reaffirmed the Federal Government's support for the coup: "Our attitude has not changed: for us Juan Guaidó is the transitional president who has the mandate to call new elections This is also the goal we are pursuing, "said Maas.