Venezuela's Maduro displays military loyalty in political crisis

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and key military figures made a show of unity in a television broadcast on Thursday, seeking to reject claims by the United States and the opposition that the armed forces high command was prepared to turn on him.

Surrounded by Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino and military operations chief Remigio Ceballos, Maduro said in a dawn national address posted first to social media that the armed forces were "united, cohesive and subordinate to their constitutional mandate," two days after opposition leader Juan Guaido called for military uprising.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (center) stands next to Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez (2nd, left) and Remigio Ceballos, Strategic Operational Commander of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, during a ceremony at a military base in Caracas, Venezuela, May 2, 2019./ Reuters Photo

Maduro's supporters took to the streets on Wednesday in the capital city of Caracas as Guaido backers also held rallies.

The United States has said the military high command was in discussions with the Supreme Court and representatives of Guaido over Maduro's exit, which would involve guarantees that members of the armed forces could keep their jobs in a transition government.

Soldiers take part in a ceremony with Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro at a military base in Caracas, Venezuela, May 2, 2019. /Reuters Photo

Maduro's address on Thursday was a reply in part to comments by the United States.

The heightened tensions in the OPEC nation come more than three months after Guaido invoked the country's constitution to assume the interim presidency, arguing Maduro's 2018 re-election was illegitimate. Maduro says Guaido is seeking a coup with U.S. support.

A court on Thursday issued an arrest warrant for opposition politician Leopoldo Lopez given he violated a 2017 court-imposed order to remain under house arrest, according to a statement on the Supreme Court's website.

People demonstrate from the window of the Venezuelan embassy which is occupied by Nicolas Maduro supporters as Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guido's envoy to the United States Carlos Vecchio speaks outside the embassy in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2019. /Reuters Photo

Lopez left his Caracas home on Tuesday to appear alongside Guaido at a rally against Maduro. Later that day, he moved into the Spanish ambassador's residence in Caracas for refuge.

Spain has rejected Caracas's request to hand over Lopez. The government "does not envisage in any circumstances handing over Leopoldo Lopez to the Venezuelan authorities nor asking him to leave the ambassador's residence," the Spanish foreign ministry said in a statement.

Madrid's statement came after a meeting between the Spanish ambassador and Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza. It said that Spain wanted to "find a solution as quickly as possible" but stressed that, under international law, diplomatic residences were inviolable.

(Cover: Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (center) waves during a ceremony at a military base in Caracas, Venezuela, May 2, 2019./Reuters Photo)

(With input from Reuters, AFP)