Mike Pence confirms: 'We are with' coup plotters in Venezuela

The Vice President's affirmation of U.S. support was echoed by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton

Vice President Mike Pence confirmed Tuesday that the Trump administration is firmly on the side of the coup plotters in Venezuela as violent clashes between the elected government and opposition forces led by Juan Guaido quickly escalated.

"To Juan Guaido, the National Assembly, and all the freedom-loving people of Venezuela who are taking to the streets today in Operacion Libertad—Estamos con ustedes! We are with you!" Pence tweeted. "America will stand with you until freedom and democracy are restored. Vayan con dios!"

Pence's affirmation of U.S. support for the ongoing coup attempt in Venezuela came just hours after Guaido—surrounded by heavily armed soldiers and armored vehicles—called for a military uprising against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

The U.S. Vice President's statement of support for the coup plot was echoed by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton.

"The U.S. government fully supports the Venezuelan people in their quest for freedom and democracy," Pompeo tweeted. "Democracy cannot be defeated."

Bolton, who has repeatedly threatened the elected Venezuelan government in the weeks leading up to Tuesday's attempted coup, urged members of the military to defect and join the side of the coup plotters.

"Venezuelans have made clear that the current path toward democracy is irreversible," Bolton tweeted. "Venezuela's military has a choice: embrace democracy, protect civilians and members of the democratically-elected National Assembly, or face more man-made suffering and isolation."

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License