Venezuela opposition leader calls for massive May Day protest

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido called for a massive May Day protest to increase the pressure on President Nicolas Maduro after a day of violent clashes on the streets of the capital.

Guaido said Wednesday's rally would be "the biggest in the history of Venezuela" as he presses his attempt to unseat the president.

"Across all of Venezuela, we will be in the streets," said the National Assembly leader, recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries, as he repeated his call for the armed forces to join "Operation Freedom" to overthrow the socialist leader.

Maduro however remained defiant after Guaido's call earlier Tuesday for the military to rise up appeared to have largely failed.

Following a day of clashes between demonstrators and police on the streets of Caracas, Maduro Tuesday evening said he had defeated an attempted coup.

Maduro, who is also due to lead a May Day rally in Caracas, declared victory over the uprising -- congratulating the armed forces for having "defeated this small group that intended to spread violence through putschist skirmishes."
"(Prosecutors) will launch criminal prosecutions for the serious crimes that have been committed against the constitution, the rule of law and the right to peace."
Guaido had been immediately backed by the United States, where President Donald Trump said in a tweet Tuesday that Washington was standing behind the Venezuelan people and their "freedom."
Hours after the revolt by military officers appeared to be fizzling out, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN he believed Maduro was ready to flee to ally Cuba before he was dissuaded by Russia -- a claim Maduro later refuted as "a joke."