By deploying troops and special ops forces to Puerto Rico and Colombia, Washington is getting ready to intervene in Venezuela and topple its leader, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council said.

The US is “preparing for a military invasion” in Venezuela, Nikolai Patrushev told Russian media on Tuesday.

The relocation of American special forces’ units to Puerto Rico, the deployment of the US Army units to Colombia and other facts evidently show that Pentagon is enhancing its military in the region in order to use it in ousting… President [Nicolas] Maduro.

“The people of Venezuela understand this clearly,” Patrushev said, adding that this notion increases popular support for Maduro and drives the government to reject the aid offered by “an aggressor state.”

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Maduro himself also recently called out the US for preparing to wage a war over Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. He added that he believes that Washington is deliberately stirring discontent among the Venezuelan people.

“The US wants Venezuela’s oil and they are willing to go to war for that oil. They are trying to fabricate a crisis to justify political escalation and a military intervention to Venezuela,” the president said.

Venezuela's authorities blocked delivery of US government-sponsored humanitarian aid, dismissing the move as a PR stunt and highlighting fears that Washington might use it as an opportunity to smuggle weapons into the country.

This led to clashes between police and protesters across the border with Colombia.

In recent months Washington stepped up pressure on Caracas, while openly backing opposition leader Juan Guaido.

President Donald Trump confirmed that use of the US Army in Venezuela is among the ‘options’ on the table.

Maduro has repeatedly accused the US of plotting a coup against him and staged military drills showcasing the army’s preparedness to defend the nation against foreign threats.

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