Venezuela: Guido is using "brave soldiers" and the government is rallying supporters

Venezuelan Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said on Tuesday that the government was facing a small group of "traitorous militiamen" trying to carry out a coup after opposition leader Juan Guido appeared in a video clip surrounded by heavily armed soldiers, alongside opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez at the Caracas air base.

Rodriguez said, in a tweet on Twitter, that work is under way to encircle the so-called military treason who conspired to overthrow the Constitution and peace in the Republic.

For his part, the defense minister said that his forces will continue to defend the Constitution and military unity in a normal situation.

A senior official at President Nicolas Maduro's camp called Tuesday for a rally in front of Caracas presidential palace Miraflores, following Guevidou's comments that he had the support of "brave soldiers."

We are already deployed and we appeal to all the inhabitants of Caracas: "Come to Miraflores, we will see what they can do against our people," said Diosdado Capello, president of the Chavez-controlled Constituent Assembly of the official TVV channel. .

Calm .. Support
Capello played down the importance of the ongoing coup attempt, saying that Caracas was still in a state of calm and that the Karlota Air Base, close to where rebel soldiers were gathered, had not been touched.

Earlier on Tuesday, the opposition leader appeared in a video clip along with heavily armed soldiers calling on Venezuelans to take to the streets and to oust Maduro, along with opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez at an air base in Caracas.

This is the first public appearance of Lopez since his detention in 2014 for leading anti-government protests.

"Today, the courageous soldiers, men and patriots in favor of the Constitution have responded to our call, as we have made the appeal and taken to the streets of Venezuela," Guido said.

Western media said Venezuelan security forces had fired tear gas at Guido while he was gathering with several men in military uniform near an air force base in Caracas.

Reactions
In the context of the American response, Foreign Secretary Mike Pompeo said Washington supported Guido's call for a military uprising against Maduro, while the national security adviser urged the Venezuelan army to protect the country's constitution.

Spain has called for a "bloodbath" to be avoided. "We support a peaceful diplomatic process," government spokeswoman Isabel Sela told the press. "I called for immediate elections."

Both Cuba and Bolivia announced their support for the coup attempt by a group of military personnel linked to the opposition.

"We strongly reject this coup attempt aimed at bringing the country into a cycle of violence, condemning attempts to plant terrorism in the streets of Venezuela by some armed groups, stand by the people," Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel said.

Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales condemned the coup attempt, which serves foreign interests.