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    Venezuela - Random Guyaidó Launches New Coup Attempt - MoA Archived Message

    Posted by Tomski on April 30, 2019, 4:24 pm

    https://www.moonofalabama.org/

    (This post will be appended when new information becomes available.)
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    The Random Guyaidó who the Trump administration tries to make president of Venezuela just launched another coup attempt against the government.

    He announced his intent in a series of tweets around 6:00 am local time (machine translated):

    Juan Guaidó @jguaido - 9:58 utc - 30 Apr 2019
    People of Venezuela began the end of usurpation. At this moment I meet the main military units of our armed force initiating the final phase of Operation Freedom.

    Venezuelan people we go to the street, national armed force to continue the deployment until we consolidate the end of the encroachment that is already irreversible.

    The national armed forces have made the right decision, they have the support of the Venezuelan people, with the endorsement of our Constitution, with the guarantee of being on the right side of the story. To deploy the forces to achieve the cessation of usurpation.

    People of Venezuela, we need to go out on the streets together, to support the democratic forces and to regain our freedom. Organized and together mocilícense the main military units. People of Caracas, all to La Carlota.

    Guaido also posted a short video which shows talking into the camera with some 30 soldiers standing behind him.

    Some members of the armed forces released Leopoldo Lopez, an opposition leader under house arrest since he, in 2014, organized violent protests against the government. Guaidó and López went to the La Carlota airforce base near Caracas. Lopez tweeted (machine translated):

    Leopoldo López @leopoldolopez - 10:17 utc - 30 Apr 2019 Venezuela: The final phase has begun for the cessation of usurpation, Operation Freedom. I have been released by the military to the order of the Constitution and of President Guaidó. I'm at the La Carlota Base. All to mobilize. It's time to conquer freedom. Strength and Faith

    López is, like Guaidó, a creature of the U.S. of A. He was also involved in the 2002 coup attempt against then President Chavez.

    It is not clear Guaido and Lopez entered the air base. A person from the government said they are only on a highway.

    A video posted by some TV station shows a platoon of armed and masked soldiers at a road block.

    The Venezuelan Minister for Communication Jorge Rodríguez says the coup will be defeated (machine translated):

    Jorge Rodríguez @jorgerpsuv - 10:18 utc - 30 Apr 2019
    We inform the Venezuelan people that we are currently confronting and deactivating a small group of military traitors who were positioned in the Altamira distributor to promote a coup against the constitution and Peace of the Republic ... 1/2

    To this attempt was added the far-right coupe and assassin, who announced his violent agenda for months. We call on the people to stay on high alert, along with the glorious Bolivarian National armed forces, to defeat the coup attempt and preserve the peace. We will win 2/2

    The Distibuidor Altamira is a highway exit near the affluent business and living district Altamira in eastern Caracas.

    Some, but not all, Internet access from/to Venezuela is disabled.

    The chief of the armed forces of Venezuela chimes in (machine translated):

    Vladimir Padrino L. @vladimirpadrino - 10:51 utc - 30 Apr 2019
    We reject this coup movement that seeks to fill the country with violence. The pseudo political leaders who have placed themselves at the forefront of this subversive movement, have employed troops and policemen with weapons of war in a public thoroughfare of the city to create chaos and terror

    News of the coup comes shortly after Reuters reports that the Blackwater founder Erik Prince is looking for money to set up a mercenary army to attack Venezuela:

    In private meetings in the United States and Europe, Prince sketched out a plan to field up to 5,000 soldiers-for-hire on behalf of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, according to two sources with direct knowledge of Prince’s pitch.
    ...
    A person familiar with the administration’s thinking said the White House would not support such a plan.
    ...
    One of Prince’s key arguments, one source said, is that Venezuela needs what Prince calls a “dynamic event” to break the stalemate that has existed since January, ...
    No "dynamic event" happened so far.

    It has now been confirmed that Guadió and Lopez did not enter the La Carlota air base. It is under control of government forces. Some soldiers are said to have been "deceived".

    The metro of Caracas was shut down by the government to prevent mass assemblies.

    A short video and a photo shows a few low rank soldiers on a highway bridge with a carton of bananas and a basket of machine gun ammunition. Besides one machine guns they are armed with normal rifles and pistols. They are marked with a blue armlet or masks as Guaidó supporters.

    Another short video shows Lopez, somewhat frustrated, on a highway bridge with a handful of soldiers and a few journos.

    CNN diverts from the official U.S. government line and Marco Rubio isn't happy about it.

    Chavista supporters of President Maduro have surrounded the President's Miraflores Palace to prevent the coup plotter from capturing it.

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    Guaidó seems to have neither a base nor large scale military support nor access to significant military equipment. If that does not change this coup attempt is likely to fail within a few hours.

    (This post will be updated above when new information becomes available.)

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