Smoke and tear gas filled the air outside the military base in Caracas, where crowds chanting "Free Venezuela" flocked to embrace the band of soldiers who joined Juan Guaido's bid to oust President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday.

Violent clashes unfolded all day outside La Carlota base, where thousands of flag-waving opposition demonstrators took a stand alongside a dozen rebel soldiers, wearing blue armbands to show their new allegiance.

It was outside the National Guard base that Guaido filmed a video, posted online Tuesday morning, in which the self-proclaimed acting president claimed to have the support of "brave soldiers."

"We're also people and we're fed up with this dictatorship," said one of the soldiers backing the 35-year-old National Assembly leader.

"We have families, we're know how they're suffering," said the soldier, still in uniform and carrying a gun on his shoulder, in brief comments to AFP before he was asked by a senior officer to halt the interview.

In his video message, Guaido urged people to take to the streets to demand the socialist Maduro step down.

Heeding his call, groups of protesters with their heads wrapped in clothing to protect them from the tear gas, approached the base's perimeter fence from a nearby highway, hurling stones and molotov cocktails.

Some managed to enter the base through a hole in the fence but were quickly driven back, and confusion reigned as the demonstrators were met with gunfire and tear gas fired by soldiers at the perimeter of the base.

At least 69 people were injured in the clashes, two from gunshot wounds, according to Venezuela's health services.

The government, which claimed one of its soldiers was hit in the neck by a bullet, played down the significance of the uprising and urged its supporters to head to the presidential palace to show their backing for Maduro.

Maduro's supporters inside the base received support from motorcycles and armored vehicles, one of which was driven into the crowd of protesters, according to television images.

– 'We need the armed forces' –

"We need the support of the armed forces. We don't have weapons, they have weapons and they should support us in our demands for our rights," one of the demonstrators, 24-year-old Samuel Inostroza, told AFP.

Grasping a Venezuelan flag, Inostroza said he was hoping "the moment" has arrived after "years of struggling" against the Maduro regime.

Inostroza said he was detained for two days in 2014 after attending a rally organized by Leopoldo Lopez, the opposition leader who spent years in prison and under house arrest — emerging Tuesday to stand alongside Guaido before seeking refuge in the Chilean embassy.

"Rebellion," read one huge banner held by a group of demonstrators.

"I'm here for my family, for my country, because we're fed up with so many difficulties," said Samira Caceres, 53.

"This is the opportunity to have a future," said Alejandro Dominguez, 22.

Venezuela has suffered five years of recession marked by shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicines, as well as failing public services including water, electricity and transport.

The United Nations says a quarter of Venezuela's 30 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, and that 3.7 million Venezuelans are malnourished.

It says more than 2.7 million people have fled the country's economic woes since 2015.

Hyperinflation, which the International Monetary Fund says will reach a staggering 10 million percent this year, has left salaries and savings virtually worthless.

Caceres's family has been hit hard: she says they have all lost close to eight kilograms (18 pounds) due to a lack of money to buy food.

"It hurts to see them losing weight," she said through tears.

Bolton urges Venezuelan defense chief, key officials to oust Maduro
Washington (AFP) April 30, 2019 –

US National Security Advisor John Bolton called Tuesday on Venezuela's defense chief and other key officials to oust President Nicolas Maduro, warning them: "Your time is up."

Speaking amid a military uprising in Venezuela, Bolton reiterated that "all options are on the table" but said the main US objective remains "a peaceful transfer of power."

The United States has thrown its full support behind opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is recognized by Washington and more than 50 countries as Venezuela's interim president.

US President Donald Trump said in a tweet he was following the situation "very closely."

"The United States stands with the People of Venezuela and their Freedom!" he tweeted.

In comments to reporters at the White House, Bolton singled out Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno and presidential guard commander Ivan Hernandez Dala.

"As is known to the opposition all across Venezuela, they committed to support ousting Maduro," he said.

– 'Your time is up' –

"And it is time for them now, if the Cubans will let them do it, to fulfill their commitments and it is time for the rest of the military to show what their own families believe ought to happen and that is Maduro needs to go," he told reporters at the White House.

Bolton repeated that message in a tweet: "Your time is up. This is your last chance. Accept Interim President Guaido's amnesty, protect the Constitution, and remove Maduro, and we will take you off our sanctions list. Stay with Maduro, and go down with the ship."

Earlier, in his first and only comment so far on the crisis, Maduro said in a tweet he had been assured by the top military commanders of their "total loyalty."

While Guaido was known to have been in contact with elements of the military, this appeared to be the first time that Padrino and the others had been publicly identified as interlocutors, much less possible Guaido supporters.

The three — Padrino, Moreno and Hernandez Dala — had long been considered Maduro loyalists.

Bolton attributed their failure to act thus far to fear of Cuban advisors embedded in the Venezuelan military and security forces.

"I think it is fear of the 20 to 25,000 Cuban security forces in the country. And I think it is fear of the consequences if adhering to the constitutional mandate of the interim president failed," Bolton said.

"This has been building for a long time. If this effort fails they will sink into a dictatorship from which they're very few possible alternatives. It is a very delicate moment.

"I want to stress again, the president wants to see a peaceful transfer of power from Maduro to Guaido. That possibility still exists if enough figures depart from the regime and support the opposition and that is what we (would) like to see."

The latest crisis erupted early Tuesday when a group of soldiers declared their support for Guaido, who called on the rest of the military and the public to join in ousting Maduro.

Clashes erupted as Venezuelan security forces, firing tear gas, attempted to disperse crowds that gathered in support of Guaido near an air base in Caracas.

Video images showed armored vehicles ramming protesters hurling stones and molotov cocktails.