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Venezuela US officials told to get out of Venezuela for plotting coup against newly re-elected President Nicolas Maduro

VENEZUELA has given two top US diplomats 48 hours to leave the country after they were accused of plotting a coup.

Newly re-elected President Nicolas Maduro told Todd Robinson and Brian Naranjo they were being expelled as a result of Washington’s interventionist policies, which he said were aimed at undermining Venezuela’s sovereignty.

He said he had evidence of Mr Robinson’s involvement in a “military conspiracy” against Venezuela, with the US embassy being used as a base to interfere in military, economic and political issues in an attempt to destabilise the country.

“I have declared him persona non grata and I announce the exit of the United States charge d'affaires in 48 hours,” Mr Maduro said.

He was speaking at the National Electoral Council headquarters in Caracas after his mandate was officially ratified when he detailed the “unconventional forms of war that seek to colonise Venezuela and destroy its democracy.”

But he remained defiant and warned: “Neither with conspiracies nor with sanctions will you hold Venezuela back.

“A miracle brings us here. How many obstacles we have overcome. The maker of the miracle is the people of Venezuela, with their strength.

“Venezuela is capable of overcoming any challenge, and has the democratic and institutional maturity and strength of conscience,” he told the crowds.

Bolivian President Evo Morales hit out at the US for imposing further sanctions on Venezuela, calling it an attempt to “suffocate the Venezuelan people in a reprisal for having democratically defeating the coup boycott against President Nicolas Maduro.”

He told the US administration that “the world is not Donald Trump’s estate” as it seeks regime change in countries across the region.

Right-wing governments and institutions have criticised the Venezuelan elections, with claims of fraud and ballot-rigging despite the testimony of international observers saying they were open, free and transparent.

Opposition groups have consistently rejected Mr Maduro’s offer of peace talks and instead engaged in street violence, threats and intimidation. 

Despite insisting that elections which were due to be held in December were brought forward, they boycotted the vote.

The polls were the 24th to have been held since Hugo Chavez came to power in 1998, setting the Bolivarian revolution in train.

Mr Maduro won Sunday’s election with almost six million votes, comfortably ahead of his closest rival Henri Falcon, who polled just 1.8 million.

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