How 'cigar and Fiji water plot' to oust Venezuela's Maduro fell apart at the ...

Juan Guaido's plot to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro failed after a key ally got spooked by a last-minute change of plans and pulled out, it has been revealed. 

Maikel Moreno, Chief Justice of Venezuela's Supreme Court, had agreed to pull the plug on Maduro's rule by issuing a decree declaring his government illegal and restoring power to the National Assembly, led by Guaido.

The plan had been hatched over cigars and bottles of Fiji water on the terrace of Moreno's Caracas mansion a week before it was due to be put into action on May 1.

But at 1am on April 30 a series of messages forced the plotters to rush their scheme forward after it appeared Maduro was about to move against them. 

Moreno stopped communicating, and despite Juan Guaido appearing at the La Carlota airbase in Caracas to announce the start of Operation Liberty, his support never materialised.

Maikel Moreno, Chief Justice of Venezuela's Supreme Court, agreed to pass a decree stripping Maduro of his powers and allowing the army to step in and remove him - but failed to come good on his pledge, a source has said

Maikel Moreno, Chief Justice of Venezuela's Supreme Court, agreed to pass a decree stripping Maduro of his powers and allowing the army to step in and remove him - but failed to come good on his pledge, a source has said

Fresh details were revealed by the Washington Post, which claimed to have spoken with a source who attended the meeting at Moreno's mansion. 

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said three people attended the talks beside them - Spy Chief Christopher Figuera, Miami-based businessman Cesar Omaña, and Moreno.

Plans to force Maduro out in a bloodless uprising had been underway for a while, and included the likes of Vladimir Padrino López, Maduro's security minister.

But the plotters had decided that they needed a legal decree to pass their scheme off - one that only Moreno could provide.

The degree would provide military leaders with constitutional cover for turning against Maduro, by effectively declaring him a usurper. 

It would make their actions legal and make sure they were not accused of a coup. 

In return, Moreno would be guaranteed a spot in the transitional government headed by Guido, while he and his fellow justices would be protected

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