Venezuela's uprising

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said the protests led by opposition leader Juan Guaido and Leopoldo Lopez were tantamount to an attempted coup, but their efforts had been defeated.

"I want to congratulate you for the firm, loyal and courageous attitude with which you have led the defeat of the small group that tried to fill Venezuela with violence," Maduro said.

"Factors from the right wing of the Popular Will terrorist party led the coup d'etat," he said, referring to Guaido and Lopez's political party.

"The empire seeks to attack and overthrow a legitimate government to enslave Venezuela. I want to congratulate the High Military Command for its courage in defending peace," Maduro continued.

Guaido, who earlier this year declared himself Venezuela's interim president, announced Tuesday that he was "beginning the final phase of Operation Freedom," an escalation of his bid to oust Maduro, which started in January. He was flanked by men in military fatigues and armored vehicles.

Guaido, who had previously called for nationwide demonstrations on May 1, leads Venezuela's National Assembly and has been recognized as the nation's interim president by dozens of other countries. He has led months of protest against the government, but his April 30 speech marked his most successful attempt yet to involve the military in the removal of the Venezuelan leader.

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