Clashes are ongoing between civilians and Venezuelan soldiers after opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets with heavily armed military to oust the socialist leader Nicolás Maduro.

The attempted coup started when Juan Guaidó, flanked by the military and joined by activist Leopoldo López, made claims he was protecting the Venezuelan constitution.

The atmosphere in the city is incredibly tense as civilians come under fire from a military vehicle on April 30.

Journalists and activists alike hide behind walls, smoke fills the streets and shots ring out across the capital Caracas.

Footage shows civilians and activists hiding behind concrete blocks in the road as shots are fired from the military vehicle further away. Young men throw rocks and projectiles at the white armoured vehicle which is positioned behind a chain-link fence.

The clip also shows smoke from the military vehicle's gun blowing away in the breeze after each shot is taken. One activist crouches behind a small fire in the street as others throw objects at the military vehicle.

The Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó took to the streets with activist Leopoldo López and a small contingent of heavily armed soldiers early on Tuesday in a call for the military to rise up and oust the socialist leader, Nicolás Maduro. Events started when Guaidó appeared in an early morning video surrounded by heavily armed soldiers backed by armoured vehicles. Guaidó said soldiers who had taken to the streets were protecting Venezuela’s constitution. Information minister Jorge Rodríguez said on Twitter that Maduro’s government was confronting a small ‘coup attempt’ led by military ‘traitors’ backed by rightwing opponents