The government of Spain has called on Venezuela to prevent bloodshed amid the recent political developments in the Latin American country.
"We strongly wish the bloodshed to be prevented. We support a democratic and peaceful process in Venezuela. We call for the immediate holding of a new presidential election ... Spain does not support any military coup," Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Celaa told reporters.
The remarks come after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido urged Venezuela's public and military to take to the streets and help depose President Nicolas Maduro and his government. Guaido added that the military personnel who supported him could expect the people to back them.
According to Celaa, the Spanish consulate is ready to support the citizens of Spain who are currently in Venezuela. There are 167,000 Spaniards on consular registration list.
Earlier in the day, a video obtained by Sputnik from the Venezuelan embassy in Moscow revealed that the situation at La Carlota airbase in Caracas, the alleged location from which Guaido called on civilians and the military to act against the government earlier on Tuesday, seemed to be calm. The video was released after reports that tear gas had been used near the airbase.
Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez said earlier in the day that the country's military fully supported "the constitution and legitimate authorities."
At the same time, Venezuelan Minister for Communication and Information Jorge Rodriguez said that the authorities were dealing with a small group of military personnel who "promote" a coup in the country.
Diosdado Cabello, the head of Venezuela's pro-government constituent assembly, said that the situation in the country remained "absolutely calm."
Large-scale protests against Maduro began in Venezuela on January 21 soon after he was sworn in for a new term. Guaido proclaimed himself interim president not long after, and a number of Western countries, including the United States, backed his claim. Maduro has, in turn, accused the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup in order to install Guaido and take over Venezuela’s natural resources. Russia, China, Turkey and a number of other countries have voiced their support for Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela.