Caracas, July 25 (RHC)-- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says Mexico and Colombia are working hand in glove with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in a plot to overthrow the legitimate government in Caracas.  He demanded that Mexico City and Bogota immediately respond to allegations that they are working with the CIA.

In a televised interview, Maduro said: “The director of the CIA has said that the CIA and the U.S. government work in direct collaboration with the Mexican government and the Colombian government to overthrow the constitutional government in Venezuela.

In an interview with Vanessa Neumann, president of business intelligence firm Asymmetrica, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said: "We are very hopeful that there can be a transition in Venezuela and the CIA is doing its best to understand the dynamic there."

“America has a deep interest in making sure that (Venezuela) is stable, as democratic as possible... The Colombians, I was just down in Mexico City and in Bogota a week before last talking about this very issue, trying to help them understand the things they might do so that they can get a better outcome for their part of the world and our part of the world.”

Following the statements, Maduro accused the Colombian and Mexican government of colluding with the United States to protect their oil interests.

“I know it is not the Mexican people, I know it is not the Colombian people, who love us.  I know it is not the Colombian military or even the Mexican military.  I know it is a stateless oligarchy that delivers Mexico and Colombia to the interests of the North American empire,“ he said.

“I know they are desperate because Mexico only has five more years worth of oil.  They have run out of oil.  Colombia has six years more worth of oil and they want to believe that Venezuela’s oil belongs to imperialism and their allied oligarchies.”

The Mexican government has denied the allegations.  In a press statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "Mexico is a country that respects international law and does not work with any other country to the detriment of another."

The Venezuelan government has come under increased pressure ahead of elections for the National Constituent Assembly on Sunday, July 30th.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened economic sanctions against Venezuela if it goes ahead with the elections, a call which has been supported by Luis Almagro, the head of the Organization of American States.

President Maduro however, has insisted that the National Constituent Assembly is the only solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.