Editor Note:  In attempt to fulfill the mission of The Nation Report, we are publishing a report that represents a perspective rarely heard in other news outlets and which doesn’t promote US government narrative.  Denver attorney and Executive Board Member Mark Burton of US Peace Council is currently on the ground in Caracas and has submitted this report that we are publishing with his permission.

Yesterday’s failed coup was easily defeated by government forces and has fueled much speculation that the government was very aware of the coup plans before they were hatched. Guaido, along with Leopoldo Lopez who had escaped from home detention, showed up at at La Carlota airbase, accompanied by around 100 military personnel and claimed that the military was moving to oust Maduro. In the confusing aftermath, the coup was put down and 80 of the 100 military personnel declared that they were tricked into participating and declared their loyalty to the government.

The government called for a mass mobilization in front of the presidential palace to defend Maduro. People tuned out in the thousands and demonstrated their support for the government by rallying around the palace for blocks. There was sea of people in red as far as you could see. Government Ministers gave rousing speeches to the crowd, including the Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino, who declared that the military were solidly behind the government.

The military were deployed around the country and occupied strategic locations. Troops on motorcycles armed with rifles raced around Caracas to ensure public safety

Yesterday, John Bolton announced that he had been speaking with the Minister of Defense, the head of the Supreme Court, and the head of the Presidential guard who indicated that they were going to act against President Maduro. In a desperate plea, Bolton stated that these three had to defect from the government camp to receive the benefits that they had been offered.

The three pledged their fidelity to the government of Maduro and there are reports indicating that the three were playing Bolton to get him to show his hand and they were well aware of the plans of the of the opposition. The fact that there were no deaths, and the coup was dealt with so quickly tend to support these reports.

Lopez fled to the Chilean Embassy who refused to allow him to stay, and he ended up at the Spanish Embassy. Guaido’s whereabouts are unknown but he is believed to be in the Brazilian Embassy. Newspapers report that (finally) an arrest warrant issued for Guaido.

Guaido had previously called for a mass mobilization of the right for Mayday (today), but it is now believed that Guaido is a spent force and that there will be little or no mobilization of the right wing today. The government forces, on the other hand, are expected to turnout in large numbers to express support for Maduro.

There has been widespread sharing on social and mainstream of video of a Venezuelan military vehicle charging at civilians to claim the government is killing people. The video below indicates this was likely staged by the opposition: shows military defectors to Guaido stealing military vehicles at gunpoint.