UPDATE - Venezuela coup attempt draws world reactions

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT BY RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

By Emre Aytekin, Sinan Dogan, Lokman Ilhan, Senhan Bolelli and Ali Cura

ANKARA / CARACAS / MADRID (AA) - Venezuela coup attempt led by the opposition leader Juan Guiado on Tuesday drew reactions from world leaders.

Cuba and Bolivia said on Monday that they are with the Venezuelan government against the coup attempt led by Guaido, who declared himself an "interim president" of the country in January.

"We strongly reject this coup that aims to put the country into violence," President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Twitter, and added that his country condemns the initiative of armed groups “aimed at creating terror on the streets of Venezuela”.

"We are with the people of Venezuela," he added.

Bolivian President Evo Morales also "strongly" condemned the coup attempt and said it is "serving foreign interests".

"We are with brotherly Maduro and the friendly people of Venezuela," Morales wrote on Twitter.

Isabel Celaa, spokeswoman for the Spanish government, said the solution in Venezuela must be attained through peaceful means. "We don't support any military coup," Celaa added.

Russian Foreign Ministry also issued a statement, calling on all sides to renounce the use of violence.

“The radical opposition in Venezuela has again resorted to violent methods of confrontation,” the statement said.

Stressing that it is important to avoid disorder and bloodshed, it said: “The problems facing Venezuela should be resolved via a responsible negotiation process without preconditions.”

“Any actions should be taken exclusively within the confines of the law, in strict conformity with the Constitution and without destructive interference from outside the country,” it added.

Colombian President Ivan Duque, for his part, backed the coup attempt in Venezuela.

"We call the military and the people of Venezuela to be on the right side of history," he said, adding that he "rejects dictatorship and usurpation of Maduro".

- 'Final phase of Freedom Operation starts'

Earlier on Tuesday, opposition leader Juan Guaido released a video on Twitter in which he can be seen alongside soldiers and calling for uprising to end the "usurpation" of Maduro.

He stressed that this was the beginning of the final phase of the so-called Freedom Operation to oust Maduro.

"The National Armed Forces have made the right decision, they have the support of the Venezuelan people," Guaido said.

Guaido also called on public to took to the streets to support the "democratic forces" and "restore country's freedom."

Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10, when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Tensions escalated when Guaido, who heads Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself acting president on Jan. 23, a move which was supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev and Zehra Nur Duz