UPDATE 2 – 'Venezuela confronting coup attempt of soldier group'

ADDS REMARKS FROM VENEZUELAN ATTORNEY GENERAL, CHANGES DECK</p> <p>By Beyza Binnur Donmez</p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Venezuela is confronting small group of “traitorous” military personnel who are attempting a coup, said the nation’s vice president on Tuesday.</p> <p>Jorge Rodriguez said that a group of soldiers self-deployed in the Altamira distributor road, which is close to La Carlota military air base, for uprising against the Constitution and the peace of the country.</p> <p>&quot;We call on the people to remain on high alert, together with the glorious Bolivarian National Armed Forces, to defeat the coup attempt and preserve the peace,&quot; he said.</p> <p>Rodriguez's remarks came after the opposition leader Juan Guaido, who self-declared interim president, published a video where he called for an uprising with a group of soldiers.</p> <p>Diosdado Cabello, the head of National Constituent Assembly, also urged the army and people to gather around the presidential palace to defend President Nicolas Maduro.</p> <p>Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said that the National Bolivarian Armed Forces will continue to defend the Constitution and all military units reported normalcy in their bases.</p> <p>Meanwhile, Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab announced that legal actions will be launched against those involved in the coup attempt led by Guaido.</p> <p>Speaking to TV channel teleSUR, based in the capital Caracas, Saab said that Venezuela will follow the path of the law against the so-called freedom operation which seeks &quot;a bloody war inside the country&quot;.</p> <p> </p> <p>- 'Final phase of freedom operation starts'</p> <p>Earlier on Tuesday, Guaido published a video where he met troops of National Armed Forces and called for an uprising to end the &quot;usurpation&quot; of Maduro.</p> <p>He stressed that this was the beginning of the final phase of the so-called Freedom Operation for Maduro's ouster.</p> <p>&quot;The National Armed Forces have made the right decision, they have the support of the Venezuelan people,&quot; Guaido said.</p> <p>Guaido also made a public call to the streets to support the &quot;democratic forces&quot; and &quot;recover country's freedom.&quot;</p> <p>&quot;[Residents of the] Town of Caracas, all to La Carlota,&quot; he added, referring to a military air base.</p> <p>Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10, when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.</p> <p>Tensions escalated when Guaido, who heads Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself acting president on Jan. 23, a move which was supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.