Venezuela's defence minister asked Maduro to resign - Washington Post

FILE PHOTO: Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez takes part in a ceremony to kick off the distribution of security forcers and voting materials to be used in the upcoming presidential elections, at Fort Tiuna military base in Caracas, Venezuela May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Jasso/File Photo

(Reuters) - Venezuela's defence minister told socialist President Nicolas Maduro to step down last month, and said he would offer his own resignation if he did not, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing an anonymous U.S. intelligence official.

Both Maduro and Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez are still in office. Maduro is set to be sworn in for a second six-year term on Thursday, though several countries in the region have warned him not to take office, calling his May 2018 re-election vote a sham.