STILL STANDING

Maduro Declares Victory Over Coup Attempt in Venezuela

Lashes out at “deranged” U.S. for backing opponents, Trump threatens new Cuba embargo.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro claimed his troops have foiled an attempt by the country’s “coup-mongering far right” to usurp his administration, and blamed President Trump for backing his adversaries, The Guardian reports. “I truly believe… that the United States of America has never had a government as deranged as this one,” Maduro said during a hour-long national address Tuesday night following opposition leader Juan Guaidó’s renewed efforts to oust him—leading to dozens of people being injured during protests in Caracas. Maduro also called Guaidó and his followers America’s “useful idiots.” The Trump White House showed its support for Guaidó on Tuesday following the release of a video in which Guaidó announced that this was the “final phase” of the coup. “If Cuban Troops and Militia do not immediately CEASE military and other operations for the purpose of causing death and destruction to the Constitution of Venezuela, a full and complete embargo, together with highest-level sanctions, will be placed on the island of Cuba,” Trump tweeted. “Hopefully, all Cuban soldiers will promptly and peacefully return to their island!”

‘FINAL PHASE’

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Annika Hernroth