US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued new threats against Venezuela, warning of an imminent series of initiatives targeting the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Speaking to the right-wing Fox News TV channel, he said: “You’ll see in the coming days a series of actions that continue to increase the pressure level against the Venezuelan leadership folks, who are working directly against the best interest of the Venezuelan people.

“We’re determined to ensure that the Venezuelan people get their say.”

Mr Pompeo’s pronouncement is merely the latest menacing US statement directed against Venezuela’s elected government.

President Donald Trump has branded Mr Maduro’s administration a “dictatorship” and ordered a string of punishing economic sanctions to try to foment “regime change.”

Caracas accused Washington of being behind a failed attempt to assassinate Mr Maduro after a drone attack at a military parade in July.

Earlier this month, it was alleged that the Trump administration had discussed the overthrow of the Bolivarian government with members of the Venezuelan opposition, many of whom have been involved in violent attempts to stop people voting in the country’s National Assembly elections.

In an interview last week, Senator Marco Rubio claimed that the Bolivarian government presented a “national security threat to the US” and called for military intervention to overthrow Mr Maduro.

And Organisation of American states secretary-general Luis Almagro faced calls for his resignation after he endorsed Mr Rubio’s stance and also demanded the “asphyxiation” of Nicaragua’s Sandinista President Daniel Ortega.

He has subsequently claimed that the comments regarding any possible military intervention were misinterpreted.