The United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is backing Washington’s decision to recognize Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido as president by manipulating the public opinion against democratically-elected President Nicolas Maduro and the legitimate government over social media platforms.

U.S. President Donald Trump formally recognized Guaido shortly after his announcement and praised his plan to hold elections. That was followed by similar statements from Canada and a slew of right-leaning Latin American governments, including Venezuela's neighbors Brazil and Colombia.

Millions of posts designed to instigate Venezuelans against the country's legitimate president, Nicolas Maduro, were shared in a very short time to kindle a social unrest against Maduro.

Assoc. Prof. Dr Levent Eraslan unveiled the striking details of the U.S’s perception and deception strategies in an exclusively interview to Yeni Şafak daily.

Stressing the U.S. national intelligence’s strategy report in 2019 that consists Pentagon’s intervention in Venezuelan politics, Eraslan said, "The role of ‘machine learning’ and providing data to decision makers by determining political instabilities through social media were emphasized in the report.”

Noting that thousands of tweets that have been shared from different accounts in the last two days, “People are being called to take streets to overthrow the elected president. The efforts to trigger rebellion and push this process into a bloody situation through social media networks such as Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook can be observed,” he concluded.

Lower parliamentary house speaker Vyacheslav Volodin called the steps to remove Maduro illegal, Interfax news agency reported on Thursday. A second lawmaker, Franz Klinzevich, said Moscow could wind up its military cooperation with Venezuela if Maduro was ousted.

In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said recognizing a leader other than Maduro might cause "chaos".

In Paris, a presidency official said France was consulting with its European partners about the situation.

Russia warns US against military intervention in Venezuela Russia on Thursday warned the United States not to intervene militarily in Venezuela, saying such a move would trigger a catastrophic scenario, the Interfax news agency cited the deputy foreign minister as saying.Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president on Wednesday, winning the backing of Washington and many Latin American nations and prompting socialist Maduro, who has led the oil-rich nation since 2013, to sever diplomatic relations with the United States.Interfax cited Sergei Ryabkov, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, as saying Moscow would stand with Venezuela to protect its sovereignty and the principle of non-interference in its domestic affairs.Ryabkov was also quoted as saying that Moscow expected the United States and other countries to step up pressure on Caracas.Moscow criticizes 'western' interference in VenezuelaVenezuelan army rejects 'self-proclaimed president'US recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader as presidentGermany urges restraint in Venezuela

Moscow criticizes 'western' interference in Venezuela The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman on Thursday criticized western interference in Venezuela's internal affairs."The developments in Venezuela show very well how progressive western society really treats international law, sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs of other states, by picking the government there [in Venezuela]," Maria Zakharova wrote in a Facebook post.On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of the country, marking the most significant escalation in the ongoing feud between Washington and Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro.Maduro has slammed the decision and said his country was cutting off diplomatic relations with the U.S., giving American diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.He made the announcement while speaking to supporters who gathered at the presidential palace in capital Caracas on Wednesday.Brazil and the Organization of American States had recognized Guaido as Venezuela's leader prior to his formal announcement. Argentina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and Paraguay have followed suit while Bolivia and Mexico continue to recognize Maduro.Maduro has repeatedly lashed out at the U.S., saying Washington is waging an economic war against him and his government amid a sweeping sanctions campaign.Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10 when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the oppositionVenezuelan army rejects 'self-proclaimed president'US recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader as presidentGermany urges restraint in VenezuelaMexico, Bolivia back Maduro as Venezuela PresidentErdoğan voices support for Venezuelan President Maduro

Venezuelan army rejects 'self-proclaimed president' Venezuelan army will not accept an imposed president of the republic, the nation's defense minister said Wednesday, after an opposition leader declared himself as interim president."Despair and intolerance threaten the peace of the Nation. The soldiers of the homeland do not accept a president imposed in the shadow of obscure interests or self-proclaimed outside the law," Vladimir Padrino Lopez said in a statement on Twitter before demonstrations Wednesday.U.S. President Donald Trump also recognized the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of the country, marking the most significant escalation in the ongoing feud between Washington and Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. Guaido is the president of Venezuela's National Assembly, which Maduro stripped of its power and refuses to recognize amid continued international recognition.The Bolivarian National Armed Forces, or FANB, defends the Venezuela's Constitution "and is the guarantor of national sovereignty," Lopez wrote. Maduro has repeatedly lashed out at the U.S., saying Washington is waging an economic war against him and his government amid a sweeping sanctions campaign. Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10 when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.US recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader as presidentGermany urges restraint in VenezuelaMexico, Bolivia back Maduro as Venezuela PresidentErdoğan voices support for Venezuelan President Maduro

US recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader as president U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Wednesday Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president of the country, marking the most significant escalation in the ongoing feud between Washington and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.Guaido is the president of Venezuela's National Assembly, which Maduro stripped of its power and refuses to recognize amid continued international recognition. Just moments before Trump's announcement Guaido, an industrial engineer, reportedly declared himself interim president before an assembled crowd in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital."In its role as the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people, the National Assembly invoked the country’s constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate, and the office of the presidency therefore vacant," Trump said in announcing his decision. "The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out against Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law."Germany urges restraint in VenezuelaThe president further called on other western hemisphere governments to follow suit in declaring GuaidoVenezuela's legitimate leader while pledging to maintain economic pressure on Maduro's government."We continue to hold the illegitimate Maduro regime directly responsible for any threats it may pose to the safety of the Venezuelan people," Trump said in a statement.Brazil and the Organization of American States had already recognized Guaido as the country's official leader prior to his official announcement.The opposition leader has called for new elections in the country, and his claim to power on Wednesday is highly likely to prompt a standoff with Maduro that could escalate into widespread violence.Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Maduro to step down shortly after Trump made his announcement, declaring Washington "will work closely with the legitimately elected National Assembly."Mexico, Bolivia back Maduro as Venezuela President"We repeat our call to the Venezuelan military and security forces to support democracy and protect all Venezuelan citizens," he said in a statement.Guaido has called for nationwide protests against Maduro in the hopes that sustained popular pressure will oust Maduro, who was sworn in earlier this month for another six-year term, from government.Security forces have attempted to disperse the demonstrators with tear gas, according to multiple reports. At least one protester was reported dead.Maduro has repeatedly lashed out at the U.S., saying Washington is waging an economic war against him and his government amid a sweeping sanctions campaign.The International Monetary Fund forecasts inflation in Venezuela to hit 10 million percent in 2019 amid an economic crisis in the country sparked by a global depreciation in the price of crude oil -- Venezuela's main economic driver.That is the highest, by far, of all countries evaluated by the fund as Venezuela continues to face widespread shortages of daily goods and medical necessities.Erdoğan voices support for Venezuelan President Maduro US bucks Maduro, will keep diplomats in VenezuelaThe U.S. defied orders by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to vacate diplomatic staff, saying Wednesday it will conduct relations through opposition leader Juan Guaido who it earlier recognized as the country's interim president."The United States does not recognize the Maduro regime as the government of Venezuela," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. "The United States does not consider former president Nicolas Maduro to have the legal authority to break diplomatic relations with the United States or to declare our diplomats persona non grata."

Germany urges restraint in Venezuela Germany has appealed to the Venezuelan government and opposition to act with restraint amid competing mass street protest in the country.“We call on all actors in Venezuela to show restrain and refrain from violence,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Twitter.He said Berlin was consulting with other European Union member states to adopt a common European position with regards to recent developments.U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Washington recognizes Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim president.Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has slammed the decision and said his country was cutting off diplomatic relations with the U.S., giving American diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.Maduro made the announcement while speaking to supporters who gathered in the Presidential Palace in the capital of Caracas.Mexico, Bolivia back Maduro as Venezuela PresidentErdoğan voices support for Venezuelan President Maduro