Venezuela's opposition leader today said he is in secret talks with military leaders in the hope of winning army backing as Britain turned up the pressure on President Nicolás Maduro.
Britain led calls for EU sanctions against the regime of Maduro, who has been accused of organising death squads against opponents after a rigged election.
In a phone call, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt gave strong support to opposition leader Juan Guaidó, a 35-year-old former engineer, hailing him as “a courageous and brave man working for a brighter future for the people of Venezuela”.
The Pope has expressed fears of a “bloodbath” following the disputed election in a country whose economy is in tatters and where 3.3 million citizens have fled to escape food shortages and poverty.
Mr Guaidó, who has been recognised as rightful president by the US and several neighbouring countries, did not reveal how far up the military his contacts had been, but said he had found potential “crucial” support.
“We have had clandestine meetings with members of the armed forces and the security forces,” he wrote in the New York Times.
“The military’s withdrawal of support from Mr Maduro is crucial to enabling a change in government, and the majority of those in service agree that the country’s recent travails are untenable.”
There are doubts among western experts that Mr Guaidó has enough support from the army for a bloodless change of government.
In the EU, Britain, France, Germany and Spain were pressing for sanctions against Maduro’s regime in the hope of weakening his grip further. Italy, which has a large ex-pat community and a record of opposing sanctions, was said to be against.
Donald Trump tweeted his backing for the young opposition leader after thousands of Venezuelans poured onto the streets of Caracas. “The fight for freedom has begun!” he said.
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The Foreign Office released a transcript of a call between Mr Hunt and Mr Guaidó, who told the Foreign Secretary he had faced “many death threats” plus threats to his family.
Venezuelans took to the streets of the capital yesterday to demand that President Maduro step down.
Mr Maduro has indicated he is willing to negotiate with Mr Guaidó, saying: “I’m willing to sit down for talks with the opposition so that we could talk for the sake of Venezuela’s peace and its future.”
But in a four-minute Facebook video message addressed to the American people, he warned against intervention.
He said: “We will not allow a Vietnam in Latin America. If the US intends to intervene against us they will get a Vietnam worse than they could have imagined.”
