23 Feb 2019, Colombia
Venezuela braced for a showdown between the military and regime opponents at the Colombian border on Saturday, when self-declared acting president Juan Guaido has vowed humanitarian aid would enter his country despite a blockade.
Socialist leader Nicolas Maduro has vowed not to allow in the aid, which he’s dismissed as a show and pretext for a US invasion.
On the eve of the face-off Guaido defied a government ban on leaving the country and attended a concert organized by British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson just over the border in Colombia. The concert is aimed at raising funds to help the relief effort.
Guaido sensationally claimed that the Venezuelan military, whose high command has repeatedly declared absolute loyalty to Maduro, “participated in this process” to get him into Colombia.
Hours later, Caracas said it had sealed the Colombian border across the whole of Tachira — the western state that borders Cucuta — citing threats to Venezuela’s security.
On Saturday “the whole of Venezuela will be in the streets demanding the entry of the humanitarian aid,” said Guaido.
Venezuela is gripped by a humanitarian crisis that has seen poverty soar during four years of recession leaving shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine.
Guaido announced earlier that February 23 would be the day aid would come in, regardless of a military blockade.
The 35-year-old leader of Venezuela’s National Assembly declared himself interim president exactly one month ago Saturday and is calling for fresh polls, branding Maduro a “usurper” and accusing him of rigging his re-election last May.
Humanitarian aid has become the key focus of the stand-off between Maduro and Guaido.
With the main crossing bridge on the Colombian border barricaded by Venezuela’s military, it was not clear how Guaido would achieve his aim, although he had said he wanted to mobilize one million people to help him.
