Venezuela's ambassador in St George's Jorge Alfonzo Guerrero Veloz. Photo: CaribUpdate

Speaking in St George’s late Friday, Ambassador Guerroro said a simultaneous pro government demonstration far out-numbered the opposition, and effectively stopped a march on the Presidential Palace.

“They had as a principal element to reach to Miraflores (the resident of the President), and to force our President to resign. They had vowed that they won’t leave Caracas until President Maduro leaves,” he said, in claiming that the opposition mission had failed.

Ambassador Guerroro said the opposition is embarking on a number of action in an attempt to “create a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and influence foreign intervention.”

The opposition claimed it brought out a million people in Thursday’s march against President Nicolas Maduro, as it continues to push for his removal.

Police were deployed in their hundreds to keep apart anti-government protesters angry at food and medicine shortages from Maduro's supporters who vowed to defend his "socialist revolution."

The government claims that the opposition was hoping to trigger a coup – a claim that has not been otherwise independently verified.

“The Bolivarian government has a huge support inspite of the difficulties that Venezuela is going through,” Ambassador Guerroro said here.

Ambassador Guerrero said foreign media coverage has put emphasis on opposition action, and has failed to provide coverage to what he says was an impressive showing by government supporters.

The ambassador claimed swift action by security forces in arresting a number of demonstrators who were armed with guns and explosives and “who were going to take the advantage of the march” to create chaos, halted any potential for violence.

“People have a right to protest and a right to demonstrate. This is not denied in Venezuela, as long as the demonstration is in peace,” the Ambassador said.

He accused the opposition of growing increasingly frustrated in their attempts to try to remove the President, and warned that may resort to violence.

The opposition called Thursday’s march a success, saying it was the biggest anti-government demonstration there in history.

"This is the proof that a presidential recall is viewed by the vast majority of the people as the solution to the crisis," said Tomas Guanipa, an opposition congressman.

One US journalist reported that “the government responded with a much smaller counter-demonstration in downtown Caracas attended mainly by public sector workers.”

In a speech, President Maduro called the opposition protest part of a U.S.-backed conspiracy and likened it to unrest in 2002 that briefly ousted his predecessor, the late President Hugo Chavez, who ushered in Venezuela's socialist revolution 17 years ago.

"Today has been an example of how to contain fascism in peace," said Maduro, who was elected three years ago. "We have stopped the coup today, the violent, fascist ambush."