Hailing Venezuela revolt, US says Maduro was ready to leave

The United States charged Tuesday that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was on his way out, saying he had a plane ready and that senior officials were plotting to oust him, even as the leftist firebrand appeared to survive a military uprising. President Donald Trump accused Cuba of propping up Maduro and warned of fresh action against the communist island which has allegedly sent thousands of troops to crisis-hit Venezuela. Hours after a revolt by military officers to oust Maduro appeared to be fizzling out, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo dropped a bombshell by saying that the Venezuelan president had been prepared to go into exile in Cuba until ally Russia dissuaded him.