Nicolás Maduro

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on May 20 proposed early elections for the National Assembly, which is headed by opposition leader Juan Guaido and is the sole body recognized as democratically legitimate by most Western nations.

Lawmakers entered congress on May 15, a day after opposition leader Juan Guaido accused Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro's government of trying to "gag" the legislature after it was blocked by security forces.

A second airplane from China carrying medical supplies including medicine arrived in Venezuela on May 13 as part of a "humanitarian technical" cooperation agreement between President Nicolas Maduro's government and the Asian powerhouse.

The deputy to Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido was jailed on May 10 at a military prison in Caracas following his dramatic arrest, while President Nicolas Maduro accused his sacked intelligence chief of being a CIA "mole" and the architect of a failed military uprising 10 days ago.

Two Venezuelan lawmakers sought refuge at foreign embassies in Caracas on May 9, as the government of President Nicolas Maduro cracked down on allies of opposition leader Juan Guaido who supported his attempted uprising last week.

"There is a whole plan made up by the CIA and the Venezuelan opposition to overthrow the Maduro government and take control of our country's natural resources, which belong to the people as a result of a socialist revolution," TASS quoted Arreaza as saying, and adding:

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro called on the armed forces on April 2 to oppose "any coup plotter" after a military uprising in support of opposition leader Juan Guaido fizzled out, and subsequent street clashes left four protesters dead.

After a coup attempt in Venezuela quickly fizzled out, the United States is insisting that President Nicolas Maduro's days remain numbered but according to the U.S. media reports Washington may have overestimated the opposition leader's strength and could not manage to trigger high profile defections from the administration.

The self-proclaimed president, and leader of the Venezuelan opposition Juan Guaido told his supporters during the protest that demonstrations were "an irreversible process" and would continue each day "until freedom is achieved."

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had been ready Tuesday to fly into exile in Cuba until he was dissuaded by Russia, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, amid a military uprising in Caracas, reported AFP.
"He had an airplane on the tarmac, he was ready to leave this morning as we understand it, and the Russians indicated that he should stay," Pompeo told CNN.