Trump threatens Venezuela with 'economic actions'

Carcas : US President Donald Trump threatened Venezuela with swift "economic actions" on Monday if its leader pushes on with an unpopular bid to change his country's constitution amid mounting condemnation.

The warning came as Venezuela's opposition coalition called a nationwide strike for Thursday to kick off a "final offensive" aimed at forcing President Nicolas Maduro from office through early elections.

Maduro, Trump said in a statement, was "a bad leader who dreams of becoming a dictator".

"The United States will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles," he said.

Trump did not specify what measures could be taken. But the warning dramatically raised the stakes and scope of the long political and economic crisis that has been battering Venezuela. 

Nearly 100 people have died since April, when street protests against Maduro turned violent.

Trump's stance explicitly sided with Venezuela's opposition, which accuses Maduro of trying to accumulate dictatorial powers to hang on to the reins.

It risked fueling Maduro's frequent allegations that he was the victim of a plot by a colluding right-wing opposition and the "imperialist" United States.

There was no immediate reaction from the Venezuelan president.

Separately, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was in Cuba - a close ally of Venezuela - on Monday for meetings with President Raul Castro.

Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin said the Venezuelan crisis was discussed, but she denied reports that Santos traveled to convince Castro to act as a mediator.