Kalifa Sarah Clyne
An anti-government protester walks near a bus that was set on fire by opponents of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro during clashes between rebel and loyalist soldiers in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold and risky call for the military to rise up and oust Maduro. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
The sound of gunshots are exploding over the streets of Caracas today, following the statement earlier by Venezuela’s self-declared interim President Juan Guaido urging military action against the incumbent Maduro regime.
A member of the Bolivarian National Guard who joined Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido aims his gun as they repel forces loyal to President Nicolas Maduro who arrived to disperse a demonstration near La Carlota military base in Caracas on April 30, 2019. - Guaido -- accused by the government of attempting a coup Tuesday -- said there was "no turning back" in his attempt to oust President Nicolas Maduro from power. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP)
In a tweet early this morning, Guaido said he was meeting with the main units of Venezuela’s armed forces for the beginning of what he called “Operation Freedom.”
“The people of Venezuela have initiated the end of the usurpation,” Guaido said, as he called for protests in the street and for the military to intervene.
Since the tweet, footage emerging from Venezuela has shown violent protests in the streets, in what many have described as an attempted coup.
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An opponent to Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro high fives a rebel soldier on a highway overpass outside La Carlota air base amid tear gas fired by loyalist soldiers inside the base in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets in Caracas with activist Leopoldo Lopez and a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold and risky call for the military to rise up and oust socialist leader Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Boris Vergara)
Opposition demonstrators clash with soldiers loyal to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after troops joined opposition leader Juan Guaido in his campaign to oust Maduro's government, in the surroundings of La Carlota military base in Caracas on April 30, 2019. - Guaido -- accused by the government of attempting a coup Tuesday -- said there was "no turning back" in his attempt to oust President Nicolas Maduro from power. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP)
TT RESPONSE SO FAR
IN TT, National Security Minister Stuart Young acknowledged what he described as "disturbances in Venezuela" with a statement in which he said TT's borders were secure.
National Security Minister Stuart Young. Photo by Sureash Cholai
"I advise that the relevant divisions of the Ministry of National Security have been working together and have been focused on securing our borders and we will continue to do so," Young said.
A woman cheers on rebel soldiers who are rising up against the government of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro outside La Carlota military airbase where loyal troops are located in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets with activist Leopoldo Lopez and a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold and risky call for the military to rise up and oust socialist leader Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
EX FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTERS AGREE: STABILITY NEEDED IN VENEZUELA
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"There is an urgent need to restore stability in Venezuela. We need to take this problem step by step."
- Former foreign affairs minister Winston Dookeran
"Venezuela is in dire need of stability. Under Maduro there can be no stability."
-Former foreign affairs minister Ralph Maraj
"Everything is up in the air"
- Former head of the Public Service Reginald Dumas
Opponents to Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, behind and left, scuffle with a Bolivarian National Guard officer who is loyal to President Nicolas Maduro during clashes with rebel soldiers and anti-government protesters outside La Carlota military airbase in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó and jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold and risky call for the military to rise up and oust Maduro. (AP Photo/Boris Vergara)
TT OPPOSITION'S RESPONSE
In a statement to media Naparime MP Rodney Charles said: "We can only hope for the best for the people of Venezuela - that in very short order, free and fair elections will be held so that the will of the Venezuelan people will prevail and that peace, stability, and prosperity will be restored to that country."
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Rebel troops who are rising up against the government of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro fire their weapons from an overpass outside La Carlota military airbase where loyal troops are located, as members of the press and civilians take cover in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó and jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold and risky call for the military to rise up and oust Maduro. (AP Photo/Boris Vergara)
MSJ FEARS IMPACT ON TT
MOVEMENT for Social Justice (MSJ) political leader David Abdulah said the bold move by Venezuela’s opposition Juan Guaido to topple the President Nicholas Maduro regime would have an adverse effect on TT.
MSJ political leader David Abdulah.
“What is shaping up in Venezuela is civil war which would create a huge problem for TT,” Abdulah said at a news conference at MSJ San Fernando headquarters on Tuesday.
Defected Venezuelan Bolivarian National Guards and soldiers shout slogans against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro in La Parada near Cucuta, Colombia, Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets in Caracas with activist Leopoldo Lopez and a small contingent of heavily armed troops early Tuesday in a bold and risky call for the military to rise up and oust socialist leader Nicolas Maduro. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
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"Photos: Attempted coup in Caracas"