Venezuela news: State uses tear gas on protestors as Pompeo threatens US military action

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Protestors have taken to the streets in Venezuela in competing demonstrations as the battle for power continues in Caracas and beyond.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido has declared himself the legitimate leader of the country, backed by the US and dozens of other nations, after accusing President Nicolas Maduro of fraudulently keeping his place in office. He has called for mass protests.

Mr Maduro has called the uprising a ‘coup’ and has said that he has subdued the ‘traitors’ in the military who have backed Mr Guaido.

He too has called for his “working class supporters” to take to the streets on Wednesday, which is International Workers’ Day.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said that the US will take military action in Venezuela “if required” but would prefer a peaceful solution to the crisis.

The Pentagon on Wednesday appeared to downplay any active planning to directly intervene in Venezuela to topple President Nicolas Maduro, telling Congress it had not been given orders to prepare for war and stressing support for diplomacy.

Asked whether the US military had been given instructions to prepare for a military conflict, perhaps by prepositioning troops, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Kathryn Wheelbarger said: “We of course always review available options and plan for contingencies.”

“But in this case we have not been given (the) sort of orders that you’re discussing, no,” Ms Wheelbarger told the House Armed Services Committee.

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