Venezuela fighting continued U.S.-backed coup: president

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro Friday said his government was fighting "a continued coup" to overthrow him and denounced the latest plot.

In a series of messages posted on Twitter, Maduro said the country's right-wing extremists, with the backing of the U.S. government, had devised a "desperate" plan to bomb government offices around the capital Caracas.

"We are dismantling a continued coup promoted by the United States," said Maduro, adding "enough of imperialistic abuse."

"Together with the people and the Constitution, we will know how to overcome this trial and democracy and freedom will continue to triumph in Venezuela," added Maduro.

Late Thursday, Maduro announced that Caracas Mayor Antonio Ledezma had been arrested and would be tried for violating the constitution and the peace.

Ledezma, along with other right-wing leaders, had signed a "national transition agreement" that was to serve as a blueprint for an attempted coup foiled last week, the state Venezuelan News Agency (AVN) said.

The document was published on Feb. 11 by a national daily.

The latest plot, said AVN, called for a plane from abroad to fly over Caracas and bombard strategic sites, including the presidential palace, the Defense Ministry and the headquarters of the Telesur TV network.

Maduro also slammed Washington for expressing concern over the mayor's arrest.

Earlier in the day, Roberta Jacobson, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, said in Spanish via Twitter: "We are profoundly concerned by what appears to be an escalation in the intimidation of the opposition by the Venezuelan government."

Last Thursday, Maduro announced his government uncovered a coup attempt that sought to attack the presidential palace with a military jet and trigger a military uprising, and said it was "Washington-backed".

But the United States dismissed the claims and described these accusations as "ludicrous." Endi