Image copyright EPA Image caption Mr Maduro said that Venezuela had the resources and the determination to fight back

Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has accused the US of plotting to kill him and topple his government.

He told reporters that US National Security Adviser John Bolton was personally involved in the plot, but did not produce any evidence.

President Trump has labelled the leftist leader a dictator and has imposed sanctions.

Earlier this week the US criticised the arrival of two Russian bombers in Venezuela.

The Russian Tupolev Tu-160 bombers are capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

What did Maduro say?

"John Bolton has been assigned with the job organising my assassination, deploying foreign troops and imposing a transitional government in Venezuela," he told journalists at the Miraflores presidential palace.

The Venezuelan people were prepared to fight back, with the help of "friendly countries," he added,

Mr Maduro has previously accused the US as well as Colombia and the Venezuelan opposition of plotting to kill him.

What was behind the visit by Russian bombers?

The US is increasingly concerned by his government's links with Russia, China and other countries that have differences with the Trump administration.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Russian bombers' visit amounted to "two corrupt governments squandering public funds".

Image copyright AFP Image caption Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino (first row, second from left) welcomed the Russians

The Russian government called his words "completely inappropriate".

The long-range strategic bombers landed at Simón Bolívar airport outside of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, on Monday along with two other Russian planes.

Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said they were part of air force exercises with its Russian allies: "This we are going to do with our friends, because we have friends in the world who defend respectful, balanced relations."

The White House said it had been informed by Russia that the bombers would leave Venezuela on Friday.

How deep is Venezuela's economic crisis?

More than two million people have fled Venezuela since 2014, about 7% of the country's population.

Venezuela says the US has waged an economic war to put an end to almost 20 years of socialism in the country.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Where mothers give away their babies

Mr Maduro blames the US policies and sanctions for the high inflation and shortage of food, medicines and other goods.

On Monday, the American tyre maker, Goodyear, announced it was halting operations in the country.

"Our goal had been to maintain its operations, but economic conditions and US sanctions have made this impossible," said Goodyear in a statement.

Its employees in Venezuela have each been given 10 tyres as part of their severance payment.

A number of foreign firms, including Kellogg and Clorox, have pulled out of Venezuela, citing a growing economic crisis and US sanctions.</s>Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused US National Security Advisor John Bolton of preparing a plot to overthrow and murder him

He also has called out the Colombian leader Ivan Duque as being Bolton’s accomplice.

At a press conference broadcast on his Facebook page, Maduro said: .”John Bolton leads the plan to unleash violence and conduct a coup to introduce a transitional government. Bolton is preparing a plan of my assassination. He is training, in various places, mercenary and paramilitary units’ forces jointly with Colombia, whose president Ivan Duque is an accomplice of this plan”

“Bolton is preparing a plan for my assassination.”

RT reports: Trump’s national security adviser has organized the training of mercenaries and paramilitary units “in various places” to be used against Venezuela, he said.

Maduro claimed that more than 730 armed thugs are ready to launch provocations and to attack military bases in Venezuela.

According to the Venezuelan leader, Bolton’s plot is being carried out with the heavy involvement of Colombia, with its president Ivan Duque being “his accomplice.” Maduro then slammed Duque as Washington’s puppet, who “can’t even go to the toilet without permission from the US ambassador in Bogota.”

In early August, blasts were heard as Maduro attended a military parade in the capital, Caracas. The Venezuelan authorities announced that it was a failed assassination attempt against the president, which involved drones carrying bombs. Other reports insisted that the panic actually was caused by an explosion of household gas.

Maduro returned to that incident during his press-conference, saying that he had “no doubts that the drones were prepared in Colombia under the supervision of [then Colombian president Juan Manuel] Santos, but on the direct order from the White House.”

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry has said it “categorically rejects” Maduro’s accusations as well as his “unconvincing, disrespectful and slanderous words about an imaginary war that Colombia plans to start” against Venezuela.

US President Donald Trump’s administration has been vocal about its desire to see the socialist president removed from power in oil-rich Venezuela. Washington has branded Maduro a “dictator,” responsible for a crackdown on the country’s opposition. Several high-ranked US officials even mulled what they called a “humanitarian intervention” into the country.

Last year, the US imposed harsh sanctions against Venezuela’s officials and its economy, including the oil sector. The American pressure contributed to the severe social and economic crisis as the nation was hit by hyperinflation, the devaluation of the national currency and a shortage of basic necessities.

The collapse of living standards has forced more than three million to people leave the country this year in search of a better life elsewhere in Latin America, according to the UN.</s>Maduro: US adviser John Bolton heading plan to assassinate me

Caracas, Dec 12 (EFE).- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday that White House National Security Adviser John Bolton is heading a US plan to assassinate him and put an end to the so-called Bolivarian Revolution under way in the South American country since 1999.

“Today, I come once again to denounce the plot being prepared by the White House to violate Venezuelan democracy, to assassinate me and to impose a dictatorial government in Venezuela,” the head of state said at a press conference.

Maduro said that the alleged conspirators “recently” designated Bolton to head the plot “to fill Venezuela with violence and to seek foreign military intervention, a coup d’etat, to assassinate President Maduro and to impose what they call a transitory government council.”

According to the Venezuelan leader, Bolton has been assigning missions to Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro “for military provocations in southern Venezuela, on the border” shared by the two nations.

Brazilian Vice President-elect “Hamilton Mourao … every day establishes the pattern for what the policy of that government will be … every day says he’s going to invade Venezuela, that Brazil is going to use its military forces,” Maduro claimed.

The Chavista leader said that, on the other hand, “one almost never hears a word” from Bolsonaro and he predicted that “there will be peace and cooperation” between the two countries despite the fact that the Brazilian vice president, he said, is a “crazy coward.”

However, Maduro reiterated that Bolton’s plan to kill him “is already under development” and, to accomplish it, “he’s preparing several places where mercenary and paramilitary forces are being trained together with Colombia.”

“The Colombian government of Ivan Duque … does not want diplomatic or political relations, or communication with Venezuela’s legitimate government. It’s complicit in John Bolton’s plan to bring violence to our country and thus I denounce it, and our armed forces had to be more and more prepared,” Maduro stressed.

He said that a paramilitary group called G8 is training in Colombia’s Norte de Santander province, and that a total of 734 Colombian and Venezuelan mercenaries are being trained to undertake “false positive” activities, that is making attacks on military units along the border and engaging in escalating violence to confuse public opinion and justify other military actions against Venezuela.

He also said that forces are being trained at Eglin Air Force Base in the US with the mission conducting of a “surgical attack” on Venezuelan air and military bases.</s>Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said Wednesday that White House National Security Adviser John Bolton is heading a US plan to assassinate him and put an end to the so-called Bolivarian Revolution under way in the South American country since 1999.

"Today, I come once again to denounce the plot being prepared by the White House to violate Venezuelan democracy, to assassinate me and to impose a dictatorial government in Venezuela," the head of state said at a press conference.</s>Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro lashed out Wednesday at what he said was a plot to assassinate him directed by the White House — and involving the right-wing governments of Colombia and Brazil.

Maduro accused US National Security Advisor John Bolton of personally directing a plan to sow chaos on Venezuelan soil, with the aim of overthrowing his socialist government.

The Venezuelan leader told foreign correspondents in Caracas that his government had “good information” that Bolton had been “assigning missions for military provocations on the border.”

“I come again to denounce the plot which is being prepared from the White House to violate Venezuelan democracy, to assassinate me and to impose a dictatorial government in Venezuela,” he said.

Troops were being trained in the United States and Colombia to carry out the plot, he alleged.

US President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque have been sharply critical of Maduro’s leftist regime, and Trump in October hinted at a potential military response to resolve Venezuela’s crippling economic crisis.

“Mr John Bolton has been assigned as chief of the plan, of the plot, to fill Venezuela with violence and seek a foreign military intervention, a coup d’etat, and impose what they call a transitional government council,” said Maduro, who said he had corroborating foreign sources for his claims.

“Brazil’s military forces want peace. Nobody in Brazil wants the incoming government of Jair Bolsonaro to engage in a military adventure against the people of Venezuela,” Maduro said.

The Venezuelan leader had already castigated Washington in a speech on Sunday, saying it planned to carry out a coup with support from Colombia, although on that occasion he did not mention Brazil.

Bolton and Bolsonaro met late last month in Rio de Janeiro — the first high-level meeting between a senior US official and the far-right leader, who takes office on January 1.

Maduro raised Washington’s ire this week by announcing military exercises on Venezuelan soil with the participation of Russia, which sent two nuclear-capable long-range bombers to Caracas.

The move drew condemnation from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

He said the deployment was a case of “two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer”.

Russia sent the planes following a visit to Moscow last week by Maduro for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed support for the beleaguered socialist government.

Maduro, 55, begins a second six-year term on January 10, having won elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition.</s>"John Bolton leads the plan to unleash violence and conduct a coup to introduce a transitional government. Bolton is preparing a plan of my assassination. He is training, in various places, mercenary and paramilitary units' forces jointly with Colombia, whose president Ivan Duque is an accomplice of this plan," Maduro said at a press conference broadcast on his Facebook page.

"An attempt to undermine Venezuela's democratic life and to carry out a coup d'etat against the constitutional, democratic regime in our country has been launched under the coordination from the White House," Maduro was quoted as saying by the AVN news agency on 9 December.

The president added that in the coming days, he would hold a press conference to provide details on the alleged plans of Washington to carry out a coup in Venezuela.

In early August, Maduro was attending a military parade in Caracas, when his speech was interrupted by what the Venezuelan authorities said was a failed assassination attempt involving explosive drones.

Maduro claimed in October that the United States had allegedly instructed Colombia to organize his assassination.</s>Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has accused US National Security Advisor John Bolton of preparing a plot to murder him, and also has called out Colombian leader Ivan Duque as Bolton's accomplice."John Bolton is leading the plan to unleash violence and conduct a coup to introduce a transitional government" in Venezuela, Maduro said at press-conference, which was broadcast live on his Facebook page. "."Trump's national security adviser has organized the training of mercenaries and paramilitary units "in various places" to be used against Venezuela, he said.Maduro claimed thatand to attack military bases in Venezuela.According to the Venezuelan leader, Bolton's plot is being carried out with the heavy involvement of Colombia, with its president Ivan Duque being "his accomplice." Maduro then slammed Duque as Washington's puppet, who "can't even go to the toilet without permission from the US ambassador in Bogota.". Other reports insisted that the panic actually was caused by an explosion of household gas.Maduro returned to that incident during his press-conference, saying that he had "no doubts that the drones were prepared in Colombia under the supervision of [then Colombian president Juan Manuel] Santos, but on the direct order from the White House."Colombia's Foreign Ministry has said it "categorically rejects" Maduro's accusations as well as his "unconvincing, disrespectful and slanderous words about an imaginary war that Colombia plans to start" against Venezuela.Last year, the US imposed harsh sanctions against Venezuela's officials and its economy, including the oil sector. The American pressure contributed to the severe social and economic crisis as the nation was hit by hyperinflation, the devaluation of the national currency and a shortage of basic necessities.The collapse of living standards has forced more than three million to people leave the country this year in search of a better life elsewhere in Latin America, according to the UN.</s>Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro unleashed a hailstorm of serious accusations against the Trump administration and specifically National Security Advisor John Bolton on Wednesday, telling a press conference that Bolton is currently planning to overthrow and to kill him.

Maduro said at the press conference, which was broadcast on his Facebook page, that Bolton is in the midst of "preparing a plan of my assassination" using "mercenary and paramilitary" forces from neighboring countries.

The embattled and globally isolated Venezuelan president went into some degree of detail during the remarks outlining what he says is a conspiracy against him:

Maduro has made the charge that Washington is seeking his assassination a number of times, especially after only months ago in early August he evaded a bizarre assassination attempt involving C4-laden drones at a military ceremony in Caracas.

A constant theme of Maduro's has been that the United States would use Columbia to carry out the plot, which he emphasized in allegations made in October.

His Wednesday remarks followed prior weekend comments claiming a coup attempt was in the works. Venezuela's official AVN news agency quoted him on December 9 as saying, “An attempt to undermine Venezuela’s democratic life and to carry out a coup d’etat against the constitutional, democratic regime in our country has been launched under the coordination from the White House.”

The president announced that in the coming days he would hold another press conference to reveal further details of the alleged assassination plans, which should be interesting considering international reports are nothing his consistent lack of evidence when he brings forth such charges.

However, a bombshell New York Times report published in September suggested Maduro is perhaps right to be paranoid. The report detailed several secret meetings between the Trump administration and Venezuela military officers to talk about potential coup plans, but according to Times sources "the coup plans stalled". It had reportedly involved a "clandestine channel" ordered by the White House prior to last summer to set up contacts with "rebellious officers" bent on bringing about regime change with the help of Washington.</s>Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro lashed out Wednesday at what he said was a plot to assassinate him directed by the White House -- and involving the right-wing governments of Colombia and Brazil.

Maduro accused US National Security Advisor John Bolton of personally directing a plan to sow chaos on Venezuelan soil, with the aim of overthrowing his socialist government.

The Venezuelan leader told foreign correspondents in Caracas that his government had "good information" that Bolton had been "assigning missions for military provocations on the border."

"I come again to denounce the plot which is being prepared from the White House to violate Venezuelan democracy, to assassinate me and to impose a dictatorial government in Venezuela," he said.

Troops were being trained in the United States and Colombia to carry out the plot, he alleged.

US President Donald Trump and his Colombian counterpart Ivan Duque have been sharply critical of Maduro's leftist regime, and Trump in October hinted at a potential military response to resolve Venezuela's crippling economic crisis.

"Mr John Bolton has been assigned as chief of the plan, of the plot, to fill Venezuela with violence and seek a foreign military intervention, a coup d'etat, and impose what they call a transitional government council," said Maduro, who said he had corroborating foreign sources for his claims.

"Brazil's military forces want peace. Nobody in Brazil wants the incoming government of Jair Bolsonaro to engage in a military adventure against the people of Venezuela," Maduro said.

The Venezuelan leader had already castigated Washington in a speech on Sunday, saying it planned to carry out a coup with support from Colombia, although on that occasion he did not mention Brazil.

Bolton and Bolsonaro met late last month in Rio de Janeiro -- the first high-level meeting between a senior US official and the far-right leader, who takes office on January 1.

Maduro, 55, begins a second six-year term on January 10, having won elections in May that were boycotted by the opposition.</s>Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has accused the US of attempting to assassinate him, claiming he has uncovered a plot that leads directly to the White House.

Mr Maduro repeated his frequent warning that a US invasion is imminent - this time giving some details but no evidence.

He accused President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser John Bolton of overseeing a plot to replace him with a dictator. He alleged that Washington is using "dirty dollars, bled from the US empire" to train 734 mercenaries with in neighboring Colombia to carry out the plot.

"I have no doubts that the US administration including John Bolton has plans for Venezuela," Mr Maduro said on state TV. "I also have absolute and unending faith in Venezuela's armed forces."

Venezuela is in a historic economic crisis after two decades of socialist rule. The United States has imposed financial sanctions on Mr Maduro and dozens of top officials to press for what it calls a return to democracy.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accuses United States National Security Advisor John R. Bolton of personally leading a plot to assassinate him, declining to provide evidence.