Venezuelan Opposition, US Backers Hoped to Unseat Maduro in 24 Hours - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Venezuelan opposition and its backers in the United States planned that President Nicolas Maduro would be forced out in 24 hours after Washington and its allies threw their support behind the self-proclaimed head of state, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a former senior US official.

"The people who devised it in Caracas and sold it here [in Washington], sold it with the promise that if [speaker of the opposition-led parliament Juan] Guaido made a move and [South American countries] and the U.S. came in behind, the military would flip and Maduro would go. They thought it was a 24-hour operation," the official said, as quoted by the newspaper on Wednesday.

Tensions in Venezuela escalated on January 23, when Guaido declared himself interim president, disputing Maduro's re-election.

Guaido was almost immediately recognised by the United States and a number of regional and European states. Russia, China, Mexico among other nations voiced support for Maduro, who, in turn, accused Washington of orchestrating a coup. 

As soon as Guaido proclaimed himself interim president, reports emerged that US Vice President Mike Pence pledged his support in a phone call the night before.

READ MORE: Partners in Crime: Guaido Supporters Tied to Western Economic System — Analyst

Three weeks after Guaido’s declaration, power in the country still remains in the hands of the Maduro government, with the army reiterating its loyalty to the president despite the opposition’s calls to switch allegiance.