Trump watching Venezuela events 'very closely'

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is watching “very closely” an ongoing military uprising seeking to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Shortly after his top officials said the U.S. fully supports the effort being led by opposition leader Juan Guaido, Trump said on Twitter: "I am monitoring the situation in Venezuela very closely. The United States stands with the People of Venezuela and their Freedom!"

Guaido earlier Tuesday published a video alongside a small contingent of uniformed military personnel and armored vehicles in which he called for an uprising to end the "usurpation" of Maduro.

He stressed this was the beginning of the final phase of the effort to oust Maduro, known as Operacion Libertad, or Operation Liberty.