US National Security Advisor John Bolton called Tuesday on Venezuela's defense chief and other key officials to oust President Nicolas Maduro, warning them: "Your time is up."
Speaking amid a military uprising in Venezuela, Bolton reiterated that "all options are on the table" but said the main US objective remains "a peaceful transfer of power."
The United States has thrown its full support behind opposition leader Juan Guaido, who is recognized by Washington and more than 50 countries as Venezuela's interim president.
US President Donald Trump said in a tweet he was following the situation "very closely."
"The United States stands with the People of Venezuela and their Freedom!" he tweeted.
In comments to reporters at the White House, Bolton singled out Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino, Supreme Court Chief Justice Maikel Moreno and presidential guard commander Ivan Hernandez Dala.
"As is known to the opposition all across Venezuela, they committed to support ousting Maduro," he said.
"And it is time for them now, if the Cubans will let them do it, to fulfil their commitments and it is time for the rest of the military to show what their own families believe ought to happen and that is Maduro needs to go," he told reporters at the White House.
Bolton repeated that message in a tweet: "Your time is up. This is your last chance. Accept Interim President Guaido's amnesty, protect the Constitution, and remove Maduro, and we will take you off our sanctions list. Stay with Maduro, and go down with the ship."
Earlier, in his first and only comment so far on the crisis, Maduro said in a tweet he had been assured by the top military commanders of their "total loyalty."
While Guaido was known to have been in contact with elements of the military, this appeared to be the first time that Padrino and the others had been publicly identified as interlocutors, much less possible Guaido supporters.
The three -- Padrino, Moreno and Hernandez Dala -- had long been considered Maduro loyalists.
Bolton attributed their failure to act thus far to fear of Cuban advisors embedded in the Venezuelan military and security forces.
"I think it is fear of the 20 to 25,000 Cuban security forces in the country. And I think it is fear of the consequences if adhering to the constitutional mandate of the interim president failed," Bolton said.
"This has been building for a long time. If this effort fails they will sink into a dictatorship from which they're very few possible alternatives. It is a very delicate moment.
"I want to stress again, the president wants to see a peaceful transfer of power from Maduro to Guaido. That possibility still exists if enough figures depart from the regime and support the opposition and that is what we (would) like to see."
The latest crisis erupted early Tuesday when a group of soldiers declared their support for Guaido, who called on the rest of the military and the public to join in ousting Maduro.
Clashes erupted as Venezuelan security forces, firing tear gas, attempted to disperse crowds that gathered in support of Guaido near an air base in Caracas. Video images showed armored vehicles ramming protesters hurling stones and molotov cocktails.
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