Venezuela’s president accuses US of coup attempt

By Muhammed Emin Canik</p> <p>CARACAS (AA) – Venezuela's president blamed the U.S. government Wednesday for orchestrating a coup attempt against his country.</p> <p>Speaking at a May Day event in the capital, Caracas, Nicolas Maduro said a European newspaper had reported that U.S. President Donald Trump and National Security Advisor John Bolton had coordinated all operations of the attempted military coup.</p> <p>Maduro said Venezuela defeated the coup attempt, adding Washington had been unable to topple former President Hugo Chavez and also couldn't topple him.</p> <p>He added that the U.S. could never bring a puppet president to the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas.</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 Juan 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.</p> <p>Russia, Turkey, China, Iran, Bolivia and Mexico have thrown their weight behind Maduro.</p> <p>Guaido posted a video statement on social media Tuesday showing him standing alongside a small contingent of uniformed military personnel and armored vehicles in which he called for an uprising to end the &quot;usurpation&quot; of Maduro.