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<p>WASHINGTON - The sun had just dipped below the horizon Wednesday evening when the lights flicked off inside the Venezuelan embassy in Washington.</p> <p>Waves of cheers rolled up and down the ordinarily quiet street in the elite Georgetown neighborhood at the center of an intensifying standoff between backers of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó and left-wing activists who oppose U.S. intervention and support President Nicolás Maduro.</p>

Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro is sending out the goon squad this week to quietly begin rounding up the people who participated in the attempted coup last week. While he’s not yet going after the person who actually sent out the call to revolt, his secret police force started with someone very close to the top. National Assembly Vice President Edgar Zambrano was picked up last night after leaving his office. (Associated Press) Security forces arrested the No. 2 leader of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled congress Wednesday as President Nicolás Maduro’s government began going after foes tied to a failed attempt to stir...

US President Donald Trump said in a statement issued by the White House on Wednesday that the decision to recognize Brazil as a major non-NATO ally comes due to "Brazil's recent commitments to increase defense cooperation with the United States". "I am making this designation in recognition of the Government of Brazil's recent commitments to increase defense cooperation with the United States, and in recognition of our own national interest in deepening our defense coordination with Brazil", Trump said in his message to Congress. During a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro, at the White House in March, Trump...

Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez said president Nicolas Maduro's generals are willing to defect from his regime imminently, as Spain vowed to protect the politician. Speaking from the gates of the Spanish ambassador's residence in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, on Friday Mr Lopez said: "It's a crack that will become a bigger crack... that will end up breaking the dam". Mr Lopez said he had spoken with senior members of the military who supported the end of Mr Maduro's socialist government amid a failing economy and nationwide blackouts. Spain has refused to hand Mr Lopez, a leading figure in the...

A Facebook crack down Thursday permanently banning a large number of people deemed "dangerous individuals" including activists-personalities like..... "I do not wish to surrender myself for extradition for journalism that has won many awards and protected many people" Those words spoken by Wikileaks founder Julian Assange via video link during his first extradition hearing.... In Venezuela, two more protesters reported dead Thursday... Was there an attempt by 30 some protesters to attack a Paris hospital on May Day?..... One civilian death and four injuries reported in the government controlled part of northern Syria Thursday following a rocket barrage from the...

enezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was prepared to leave the country Tuesday and seek asylum in Cuba but was stopped by Russia, U.S. officials said. “We’ve watched throughout the day, it’s been a long time since anyone’s seen Maduro,” Pompeo told CNN. “He had an airplane on the tarmac, he was ready to leave this morning as we understand it and the Russians indicated he should stay.” Pompeo said Maduro had been planning to travel to Havana. Asked if Maduro would have been allowed to safely depart for Cuba, Pompeo dodged the question. “Mr. Maduro understands what will happen if he...

"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 place on the island of Cuba. Hopefully, all Cuban soldiers will promptly and peacefully return to their island!" President Donald J. Trump Tweets Shortly After 5 PM Eastern April 30th, 2019 While there are hopes for change and a massive mobilization called for today in Venezuela, the regime of Nicolas Maduro hopes with its Cuban backed and supported security structure to win...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer say the Democrats are moving forward with President Trump in agreement on spending some 2 trillion dollars on "infrastructure"..... Wednesday had been declared to be a day of nationwide peaceful in Venezuela to remove the regime of Nicolas Maduro from power. But there were surprise developments Tuesday..... An extradition hearing for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange set for Thursday at Westminster Magistrates Court in London..... Assange also set for a sentencing hearing Wednesday morning at 1030 am..... Two dead and four wounded in a shooting at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte........

The head of Venezuela's feared secret police has turned his back on disputed President Nicolas Maduro in an open letter made public Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Maduro took to Venezuela's airwaves to proclaim that the uprising sparked by opposition leader Juan Guaidó had been defeated. In a rambling address, Maduro said his regime had responded to the rebellion with "nerves of steel, maximum serenity and effective action" and claimed that the leaders of the uprising were under arrest and being questioned.

The situation in Venezuela is deteriorating. Throughout the day, protests have erupted. Supporters and opponents of socialist President Nicolas Maduro are once facing off after months of economic destitution that has left the beacon of 21stCentury Socialism an absolute hellhole. You’ve all read the reports. Medicals supplies are absent, hunger is rampant, and inflation is through the roof. No one is safe from economic blight, except Maduro. Venezuelans from all social classes have suffered. There’s footage of people eating out of trashcans. Zoo animals are being killed for food. Venezuelan children are now being forced into prostitution in order to...

As Venezuela plunged into a dramatic televised scene of chaos and violence on Tuesday, President Trump warned he would impose a "full and complete embargo" and sanctions on Cuba if its troops do not cease operations in the ravaged South American nation. National Security Adviser John Bolton alleged earlier Tuesday that Cuban troops were keeping Maduro in power in Caracas. “It’s a very delicate moment,” Bolton said, adding that "all options" remained on the table -- including, potentially, a U.S. military intervention. “The president wants to see a peaceful transfer of power." Trump's dramatic threat came hours after his administration...

Dozens of supporters of opposition leader Juan Guaido converged Tuesday on the now-shuttered Venezuelan embassy in Washington, clashing with pro-regime activists who have been camped out at the building for weeks in support of embattled Nicolas Maduro. .... In Washington, flag-waving and national-anthem singing demonstrators, many of whom were born in Venezuela, quickly outnumbered those from the anti-war group Code Pink gathered to support Maduro's regime. .... "This group – the Code Pink – has taken the embassy," Gandullia said. "We want to enter. We want to take over. And demonstrate that it belongs to us." Activists from Code Pink,...

Things continue to intensify in Venezuela as Nicolas Maduro's people run over opposition protestors with armed vehicles and spray crowds with live ammunition. National Security Advisor John Bolton on Tuesday said "all options are on the table" as far as United States' intervention goes, The Hill reported.“We want as our principle objective the peaceful transfer of power, but I will say again as the president has said from the outset ... all options are on the table,” Bolton said. "Over 40 people have been killed by the Maduro regime in the course of these protests."The Western hemisphere recognizes Juan Guaidó as...

WATCH: Venezuela military armored truck rams into pro-Guaidó protesters in Caracas

U.S. Secretary of State calls it “Operation Liberty” and supports opposition leader Juan Guaido. The Venezuela regime of Nicolas Maduro calls it a “coup attempt” and has help from Russia and Cuba to put down the uprising. The regular Venezuelan military, and the ordinary people of the country appear to be caught in the middle. Perhaps this is the last effort of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to shift the balance of power. The White House is supportive but cautious. Everything is tenuous as Venezuela appears to be on the brink of extreme political violence.

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has taken to the streets with detained activist Leopoldo Lopez and a small contingent of heavily armed soldiers in a military uprising. “This is the moment of all Venezuelans, those in uniform and those who aren’t,” said Lopez in his first public appearance since being detained in 2014 for leading anti-government protests. “Everyone should come to the streets, in peace.” Lopez said he has been freed by the military. Moments earlier, Guaidó appeared in an early morning video shot next to a Caracas air base surrounded by several heavily armed soldiers...

Venezuela’s dictator Nicolas Maduro has upped the ante. He ordered his Supreme Court to ask his Constituent Assembly to strip opposition leader Juan Guaido of his parliamentary immunity against arrest. On Tuesday the Constituent Assembly dutifully responded, voting unanimously to approve the court’s request, opening the door for Maduro to order the arrest of Guaido. Guaido is being accused of violating a court order to remain in the country while Maduro’s attorney general is considering various charges against him. Instead Guaido left the country for a 10-day goodwill tour of neighboring South American countries to drum up more support for...

Forces loyal to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro may have just committed one of their most brazen acts — one that threatens to plunge the country into even greater chaos. On Thursday, Venezuela’s intelligence forces detained the chief of staff for Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader who claims to be the country’s legitimate president and who is backed by the United States. In an overnight raid, they seized Roberto Marrero from his home shortly after also nabbing dozens of journalists and two state utility workers. This is potentially a massive escalation by Maduro and could signal a new phase in his...

Merida, April 3, 2019 – Venezuela’s National Constituent Assembly (ANC) has lifted the parliamentary immunity of the self-declared “Interim President” Juan Guaido, opening the door for criminal charges to be brought against him. Tuesday’s unanimous decision came following a request from the Supreme Court, and included the “authorisation” of the continuation of investigations into the also deputy and president of the National Assembly. “The investigation [against Guaido] is formally authorised to continue in accordance with our Constitution and laws” said ANC President Diosdado Cabello during the session. Cabello added that justice was “necessary” and what would safeguard peace in Venezuela....

WASHINGTON/CARACAS (Reuters) - The United States on Monday accused Russia of “reckless escalation” of the situation in Venezuela by deploying military planes and personnel to the crisis-stricken South American nation that Washington has hit with crippling sanctions. The Russian planes and military personnel arrived outside the Venezuelan capital Caracas on Saturday, according to local media reports, two months after the Trump administration disavowed President Nicolas Maduro. Washington has recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate president and demands that Maduro leave power, which Russia has described as a U.S.-backed coup against the socialist government.