Venezuela has reportedly ordered the closure of its air and sea border with Curacao, a military commander said Tuesday, as the island planned to host a US aid shipment for Venezuela.
“Our government categorically and energetically rejects this slander,” Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said at a Havana press conference, adding all of the some 20,000 Cubans in Venezuela were civilians, most health professionals."There is a big political and communications campaign underway which are usually the prelude to larger actions by this government," Rodriguez said.
Maduro said, "Who is the commander of the armed forces, Donald Trump from Miami?" and added, "They think they're the owners of the country."Trump urged Venezuela's military to accept Guaido's amnesty offer, or stand to "lose everything." Venezuela's Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez on Monday said the concert is scheduled to for February 22 and February 23.The concerts will be held at the Simon Bolivar international bridge, on the border of Venezuela with Colombia.Branson has said he hopes the concert he's throwing to rally humanitarian aid for Venezuela will help draw global attention and save lives by raising funds for "much-needed medical help" for the crisis-torn country.
Venezuela's Guaido set a goal of enlisting a million volunteers within a week to confront a government blockade that has kept tons of humanitarian aid, most of it from the United States, from flowing into the country. A US military transport plane carrying humanitarian aid meant for Venezuelans landed in the Colombian border city of Cucuta on Saturday, where food and medicine is being stored amidst uncertainty over how and where aid will be distributed.
Tons of US aid is piling up in Colombia close to the border with Venezuela as opposition leader Guaido has vowed to defy Maduro's efforts to block the supplies from entering the country. Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Bolton says many in Maduro's inner circle have now begun to waiver.The US Treasury announced on Friday that it was imposing sanctions on five intelligence and security officials close to Maduro.
According to David Smolanksy, coordinator of an OAS working group on migration and refugees from Venezuela, the money will go directly to aid collection centres set up on the borders with Colombia and Brazil and on the Caribbean island of Curazao.Maduro is inviting a US special envoy to come to Venezuela after revealing in aninterview that his foreign minister recently held secret meetings with the US official in New York.
Maduro said all Venezuela needs to rebound is for Trump to remove his "infected hand" from the country that sits atop the world's largest petroleum reservesForeign Minister Jorge Arreaza announced the formation of a group that believes the UN Charter's commitment to non-interference in another country's affairs is being violated, particularly in the South American nation.
Trump and Duque met Wednesday in the Oval Office and said many countries want to help crisis-ridden Venezuela. Trump also said Maduro's refusal to accept humanitarian aid is a "terrible mistake" and hinted at future action by the US and its allies against Venezuela's socialist leader. Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Stef Blok said on Twitter Wednesday that the collection point will be launched in "close cooperation with Venezuelan interim-president Guaido and the United States."'Military intervention not an option'
The Russian draft criticises "attempts to intervene" in Venezuelan domestic affairs, expresses "concern over the threats to use force" against the country, and calls for a peaceful resolution of the stalemate. Guaido called the Youth Day demonstrations to honour people killed in anti-government rallies and press for the food and medicine to be brought into the economically-ravaged South American country.
Quevedu, who on Monday said Caracas was open to barter trade with New Delhi, declined to disclose details on how he planned to do business with India.