File photo: People march with banners in Caracas, Venezuela, March 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Marcos Salgado)

WASHINGTON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday called his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss the Venezuela issue, and urged Moscow to cease its support for the Maduro government, the State Department said.

According to a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, Pompeo called Lavrov "to discuss the situation in Venezuela," when Pompeo said the role of Russia and Cuba in Venezuela is "destabilizing" for the nation and "for the U.S.-Russia bilateral relationship."

Pompeo urged Russia "to cease support for Nicolas Maduro," the statement read.

However, the Russian media on the same day quoted a statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying that in the call with Pompeo, Lavrov warned against the "gravest consequences" of "aggressive steps" against Caracas.

"The focus was on the situation in Venezuela, where yesterday the opposition, with the clear support of the United States, attempted to seize power," the ministry was quoted as saying.

It added that Washington's interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and threats to its leadership were a gross violation of international law, and that the "continuation of aggressive steps could result in gravest consequences."

"Destructive external influence, especially a forceful one, has nothing to do with the democratic process," the statement added.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had proclaimed himself as the interim president, reportedly called on the Venezuelan people and military to take to the streets to overthrow Maduro.

Later in the day, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said security forces had succeeded in frustrating an attempted coup, describing the scale of the rebellion as "very small" and "insignificant."

In a televised address on Tuesday night, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro declared that the "coup" had been defeated and called on other countries "which continue to support the coup opposition" to rectify their positions.

The United States has been pursuing a policy of economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against the Venezuelan government in support of Guaido. It recognized Guaido as the nation's "interim president" on Jan. 23, days after Maduro was inaugurated for a second term.

In response to Washington's support for Guaido, Maduro announced that he was severing "diplomatic and political" ties with the United States.