"The coup attempt was personally directed by the White House, by John Bolton," said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in his speech at the event organized on May 1, Labor and Solidarity Day.

 "We defeated one of the right-wing conspiracies. They run from one embassy to another. Justice is looking for them, sooner or later, they will go to jail to pay for their treachery and their crimes," Maduro said.

Maduro emphasized that the people and the armed forces of Venezuela would not allow the military coup, "Guns and rifles are not here; only the people can choose and only the people can take down."

Maduro stated that the U.S. had a finger in the coup attempt in his country. "They [coup plotters] phone called and asked for support from the governments of Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. Yesterday's coup attempt was personally directed by John Bolton from the White House."

Maduro said that "he was ready to leave the country, but that the Russians persuaded him at the last minute" do not reflect the truth.

ILKHA