US PRESIDENT Donald Trump raised the spectre of the military invasion of Venezuela again today as he ruled out talks with democratically elected President Nicolas Maduro.

Speaking on US broadcaster CBS’s Face the Nation programme yesterday Mr Trump confirmed military intervention was one of the options available in Washington’s bid to remove Mr Maduro from power and replace him with illegitimate would-be usurper Juan Guaido, unelected president of the defunct National Assembly.

“Well I don’t want to say that but certainly it’s something that’s on the [table] – it’s an option,” the belligerent US President said.

Fears of a US invasion were raised last week after hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton was snapped holding a notebook with the words “5,000 troops to Colombia” scrawled across it.

Britain also admitted in response to a question tabled by Labour MP Chris Williamson that it had provided military training to many of the hostile countries surrounding Venezuela last year.

Mr Trump dismissed calls for talks to resolve the crisis backed by Mexico and Bolivia and supported by Mr Maduro saying there was no point because “we’re very far along in the process” and “horrible things” were happening in Venezuela, including poverty and crime.

Washington and its imperialist allies have lined up to back Mr Guaido, however Mr Maduro retains the support of the majority of countries and the United Nations.

“You have a young and energetic gentleman but you have other people within that same group that have been very, very – if you talk about democracy – it's really democracy in action,” Mr Trump said.

However demonstrations in Venezuela supporting Mr Maduro dwarfed those backing Mr Guaido where protesters wearing Trump masks called on the US Marines to invade the country.

Hundreds of thousands joined pro-Maduro demonstrations across the country but have been largely ignored by mainstream media outlets who have been accused of bias for solely covering the smaller rallies in support of Mr Guaido.

Mr Maduro called for snap elections in Caracas on Saturday telling crowds: “They want an election? We will conduct a parliamentary election.”

It is unlikely to appease those beating the drum for regime change, however, as they want to see him ousted as president despite winning with nearly 68 per cent of the vote in last year’s poll in an election confirmed as transparent, fair and democratic by international observers.