Pompeo says Putin talked Maduro out of leaving Venezuela for Cuba

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was getting ready to depart the country for Cuba, but Russian President Vladimir Putin stopped him.

The embattled leader has refused to step down, despite violent protests against his government and most of the world recognizing Juan Guaidó as the country's acting president. Pompeo told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that "it's been a long time since anyone's seen Maduro," and he "had an airplane on the tarmac, he was ready to leave this morning as we understand it and the Russians indicated he should say."

Pompeo said Maduro was headed for Havana. Blitzer asked if Maduro would have been allowed to safely leave Venezuela, and Pompeo sidestepped the question. "Mr. Maduro understands what will happen if he gets on that airplane," he said. "He knows our expectations."