Cuban Leader Rebukes US Plan to Create Anti-Maduro Coalition

Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel, who backs the Venezuelan legitimate president, on Monday slammed US National Security Adviser John Bolton over continued attempts to topple Nicolas Maduro.

"John Bolton has announced last Sunday the plans of the US to create a coalition with a stated goal to overthrow the government of the Venezuelan president, Nicolas Maduro. They persist with their perverse aggression and interference," Diaz-Canel tweeted.

Cuban Foreign Secretary Bruno Rodriguez said the US government, which is "famous for resorting to lies," has found in Bolton "a high exponent of such practice." He accused the top US security official of lying when he said there were 25,000 Cuban troops in Venezuela.

The comments referred to Bolton's interview to CNN, in which he announced that the US administration wanted to see "as broad a coalition as we can put together to replace Maduro." At the same time, the White House National Security Adviser has threatened Cuba's military and intelligence services with additional sanctions over their alleged role in the political crisis in Venezuela.

The United States has been backing Juan Guaido, Maduro’s rival from the unrecognized opposition-run National Assembly, since he declared himself president in January. Cuba, Russia, China and other nations continue to support Maduro, who has threatened to put Guaido on trial as soon as he returns to the country.