After months of simmering tensions amid political uncertainty, abrupt change may be about to come to Venezuela. Opposition leader and self-declared interim President Juan Guaido today announced he was in the “final phase” of ending President Nicolas Maduro’s rule in a short video posted online. Speaking in front of a group of what looked like armed forces, Mr Guaido called for Venezuelans and the military to back him in toppling socialist dictator Mr Maduro. Current live footage from Caracas shows thousands of demonstrators on the streets following violent clashes with military soldiers.

In one shocking video posted on Twitter, a vehicle could be seen ramming a group of protestors leaving one person on the ground as others rushed to help him.

The government has retained the support of its armed forces since Mr Guaido declared himself an interim leader in January after years of hyperinflation and medicine shortages in Venezuela.

But frustrations have grown in recent months as power cuts have become more widespread, with some hoping now might be the moment the military switches allegiances.

Mr Guaido has the backing of most western nations including the USA.

The White House said earlier it is “watching and waiting” on the situation in Venezuela.

White House counsellor adviser Kellyanne Conway said it was time for socialist leader Nicolas Maduro to go and that the US was pushing for “a peaceful transition of power”.

She said: “We’re watching and we’re waiting. We hope the result is democracy and freedom for the people.”

Brazil also offered its support for the uprising and President Jair Bolsonaro tweeted from his account that the people of Venezuela were “enslaved by a dictator”.

He added he supports “freedom for our sister nation to finally become a true democracy”.

A defiant President Maduro, who is backed by Russian and China, said his senior commanders had pledged their continued support to him and his forces had nerves of steel.

He added: ”I call for the maximum popular mobilisation to assure the victory of peace. We will win!”

The Russian foreign ministry accused the country’s opposition of trying to create conflict and provoke public disorder.

The ministry said: “The radical opposition in Venezuela has once again returned to violent methods of confrontation.

“Instead of peacefully settling political differences, they have taken a course designed to whip up conflict, and provoke breaches of public order and clashes involving the armed forces.”

As demonstrations continue, the US embassy has warned US citizens in the country to “shelter in in place” if they are”unable to depart Venezuela”.

The British embassy in the country is closed “due to civil unrest” – any affected UK citizens in Caracas are being urged to “remain vigilant, avoid all demonstrations, monitor developments closely” and monitor up-to-date information on the foreign office website.

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