CARACAS, October 1. /TASS/. The United States is plotting a coup against Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro and the republic’s citizens must protect the head of state, Nicolas Maduro said, recalling the conspiracy attempts against himself.

"I ask the people of Colombia not to allow the conspiracy to repeat. The same plot is being controlled from the United States," Maduro answered during his speech, which was broadcast on his YouTube channel. "Let’s not have illusions, the United States is behind the plans against Venezuela, and now against President Petro <...>. The United States, militarized groups and what we call intercultural fascism are behind them."

According to the leader of the Bolivarian Republic, along with the US, the organizer of the coup could be former Colombian President (2018-2022) Ivan Duque. "He (Duque) is involved in the plans," Maduro claimed. "And the same far-right want to harm Petro and overthrow him. They even set a deadline for overthrowing Petro, because the United States <...> wants Petro to step down as president."

On September 13, Petro said that a plan was being hatched in the county to murder him or remove him from office within three months.

The news about the failed plot against Maduro broke in January. Then the Venezuelan leader announced that the right-wing opposition supporters planned to murder the head of state, a number of military officials, and the governor of the state of Tachira in the west of the country.