Venezuela's opposition to up pressure on Maduro with new rally

Opposition leader Juan Guaido appealed to his countrymen to take to the streets at the weekend for "the biggest march in the history of Venezuela" in a bid to rachet up pressure on embattled President Nicolas Maduro to call early elections.

Major European countries have set a weekend deadline for Maduro to call such elections or they will join the United States in recognising Guaido, the speaker of the national assembly, as Venezuela's interim president.

"Nicolas Maduro will do well not to test the resolve of the United States of America. Maduro's tyranny must end and must end now," US Vice President Mike Pence warned at a rally of Venezuelan exiles in Miami.

Saturday's march will coincide with the ruling Socialist party's celebration of the 20th anniversary of the rise to power of Hugo Chavez, Maduro's deceased predecessor.

Guaido warned in a letter to the presidents of Mexico and Uruguay published Friday that he would only enter into negotiations if they serve to "start the transition process, culminating in the holding of free elections."
Previous negotiations all had the same "unsatisfactory result," Guaido wrote. "The dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro has not changed its position. They have mocked the Venezuelan people to their face."