Venezuela crisis: Maduro claims coup has been 'defeated' – as it happened

CARACAS, May 1 (MENA) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has congratulated the military for "defeating" the plotters of a coup after a day of protests called for by opposition leader Juan Guaido, Russia Today reported.

Maduro called the opposition supporters a "small group that tried to fill the country with violence" and confirmed his government has faced several "modalities" of a coup d'état.

The president also announced the appointment of "three special prosecutors" to examine "criminal" actions by the opposition, noting that "we have colonels wounded by bullets and in intensive care."

Some of the protests were peaceful and others led to intense skirmishes, yet fatalities were avoided throughout the day.

A few dozen people were injured by rubber bullets, tear gas and – allegedly – live ammunition. An armored vehicle was also recorded ramming into a cluster of Guaido supporters.