In an hour-long speech, Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, said he had defeated what he called a military coup attempt by Juan Guaidó, the opposition leader.

He also scotched claims from the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, that he had been preparing to flee Venezuela for Cuba on Tuesday morning, until he was told to stay put by his Russian backers.

‘Señor Pompeo, please,’ Maduro said.