Venezuela braces for dueling concerts
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has praised the morality and disposition of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces, or FANB, in the face of the “current psychological war” waged by the United States, as the country’s political tug-of-war morphed into a battle of the bands on Friday, with dueling government and pro-opposition pop concerts ahead of a weekend showdown over the entry of alleged food and medical aid.
When meeting with commanders of different components of the FANB in person and with leaders of the main regions and military zones in a video conference on Thursday, Maduro said: “At this moment, the psychological war is dedicated to dividing and demoralizing Venezuelan military personnel.”
The US government has been plotting a set of provocations, but it “underestimated the capacity, preparation, moral firmness, professionalism and Bolivarian character of the Venezuelan military”, he said.
“They intended to provoke a national upheaval and did not achieve it . ... The country is at peace and will continue to be at peace, thanks to the public awareness of the vast majority of Venezuelans,” he said, affirming that the first stages of the US interference plan had failed.
He said the current US provocation takes the form of “fake humanitarian aid”. As for the political and social activities that will be held on both sides of the border between Colombia and Venezuela, Maduro said he has “taken measures so that everything will be peaceful”.
British billionaire Richard Branson is sponsoring a Live Aid-style concert featuring dozens of musicians including Latin rock star Juanes on one side of the border crossing that Colombian officials have renamed the “Unity Bridge” in Cucuta, a Colombian city bordering Venezuela, while Maduro’s government is promising a three-day festival named “Hands Off Venezuela” on the other.
Friday’s concert won’t be the first time artists have used music to try and simmer tensions at the restive Colombia-Venezuela border. A concert known as Paz Sin Fronteras — Peace Without Borders — was held in 2008 after a diplomatic flare-up that drew Venezuelan troops to the Colombian border. That event was held on the Simon Bolivar International Bridge, which 33,000 people now use to enter Colombia each day.
Similar to the original 1985 Live Aid concert, which raised funds to relieve the Ethiopian famine, Branson has set a goal to raise $100 million within 60 days.
Six hundred tons of the alleged aid, largely donated by the US, has been sitting in a storage facility for two weeks. Maduro said the aid is a ploy by the White House to overthrow his government.
“Trump should worry about the poor in his own country,” Maduro said. He announced on Thursday the arrival of 7.5 tons of medicine and medical supplies from Russia.
The power struggle between Venezuela’s ruling party and opposition groups deepened last month after Juan Guaido, who is also the head of the National Assembly, proclaimed himself “interim president”.
Immediately recognized by Washington and its allies, Guaido announced that US President Donald Trump’s government and the Venezuelan opposition have set Saturday as the date to bring shipments of aid, stored in Cucuta, into Venezuela.
The border crossing has turned into a potential flashpoint as the Venezuelan opposition, with the support of Washington, steps up pressure on Maduro’s government to renounce power.
Denying the existence of a humanitarian crisis, Maduro called the aid operation a US-orchestrated show designed to lead to an eventual invasion of the oil-rich country.
Venezuelan Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez had said the government was shutting down air and sea links between Curacao and Venezuela.
The White House said Vice-President Mike Pence would visit Colombia on Monday in a show of support for Guaido.