Caracas, Venezuela (CNN) The political momentum of Venezuela's opposition swelled Saturday with street protests in Caracas, while President Nicolas Maduro stood defiant in the face of domestic and international pressure against his rule. The massive demonstrations and the reported defection of a top military official from the embattled government helped buoy the opposition, but it was a day of dueling rallies in the capital. Carlos Vecchio, the opposition representative to Washington, told CNN this week that "this is an international effort. Sovereign President, President of the people, chavista President." The video announcement comes a week after Venezuela's military attaché in Washington, Col. Jose Luis Silva Silva, told CNN that he's breaking with Maduro and supporting Guaido.

Source: CNN February 02, 2019 17:50 UTC