Colombian President Ivan Duque delivers a speech in Peru last month

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro 'no longer feels safe' and is looking for a safe exit before his army turns on him, the Colombian leader claims.

Ivan Duque said Maduro's family and inner circle were looking to find sanctuary before the eventual collapse of his grip on the military.

Speaking to The Times, Duque said: 'They no longer have the idea that they will have safe haven somewhere else in the world.'

Maduro's hold on power is threatened by de facto president Juan Guaido who has been recognised by more than 50 countries since he rejected Maduro's election victory in January.

Duque told The Times: 'Such a pressure, Maduro no longer feels safe. He doesn’t have any calm at all because he knows his moment will come and the military will fully break and fully call on him to step out.'

Maduro sought to consolidate his premiership in allegedly fraudulent elections after seizing control following the death of Hugo Chavez in 2013.

His socialist regime has brought Venezuela's economy to its knees, with power and food shortages widespread and over a million people have emigrated.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro walks next to his defence minister as he inspects the army in El Pao last month - the Colombian premier said Maduro knows he will lose his grip on power

Venezuela's opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, addresses supporters during a rally in Barquisimeto on May 28 - he attempted to lead a coup on April 30 but was foiled by senior army officials double-crossing him after talks

On April 30, Guaido rallied army officers in a bid to depose Maduro.

However, the loyalty of Maduro's top brass foiled his attempts to usher in western-backed democracy.

It emerged senior commanders had been in contact with Guaido but negotiations had fractured.

Duque told The Times: 'Some people say it was a failure, I consider it was an additional step to the end of the dictatorship.'

The Colombian premier told the paper officers had fled to Colombia and reported corruption at the highest level, including drugs trafficking.

He added: 'We haven't been so close [before] to the end of Venezuelan dictatorship.'

Major European nations have considered imposing sanctions on Venezuela after April's brutal crackdown on political opponents.

Despite the Trump administration freezing Maduro's assets two years ago, Europe has trodden a more cautious line for fear of derailing negotiations with the dictator.

Maduro delivering a speech to the troops during the march of loyalty in Vargas, Venezuela, on May 14

Maduro (centre) posing with troops during military exercises of cadets of the Bolivarian Military University at a training center in El Pao last month

The UK, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands are mulling financial and travel restrictions to strangle Maduro.

Greater consensus exists for punishing top members of the armed forces and judiciary who have been instrumental in the arrest of Guaido's allies.

However the countries were last week awaiting the result of talks between Maduro and Guaido's representatives being mediated in Norway.

After two rounds of meetings, the opposition had not agreed by last Saturday to a third round scheduled to begin this week in Barbados, three diplomats told the Associated Press.

Guaido has pledged not to return to the negotiating table until Maduro is ready to call early presidential elections.

The EU, which is trying to pave the way for elections as well as humanitarian aid, has not ruled out sanctions in its public statements.

Any EU sanctions would require the support of all 28 of the bloc's members, four of whom - Italy, Greece, Slovakia and Cyprus - don not recognise Guaido as Venezuela's rightful leader. Britain has been the strongest advocate for sanctions.