Guaido seeks Brazil support boost ahead of Venezuela return

BRASILIA: Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido was looking to secure reinforced Brazilian support from President Jair Bolsonaro ahead of his return home to continue his challenge to socialist leader Nicolas Maduro.

Guaido, recognised as interim president by some 50 countries, arrived in Brazil in the early hours of Thursday morning from Colombia, where he had been since last Friday after flouting a travel ban imposed by Maduro’s government.

He was due to meet Bolsonaro at 2pm at the president’s official workplace, the Planalto Palace.

Brazil Vice President Hamilton Mourao said in an interview with Globo that Guaido “wants to show the Venezuelan people that he’s being hosted by the president of Brazil ... He wants to give the message that he’s recognised” as Venezuela’s true leader.

Guaido was in Colombia to try to force through desperately needed humanitarian aid into Venezuela but was thwarted by a determined military blockade ordered by Maduro.

Venezuela is wracked by a humanitarian crisis that has seen poverty soar as millions of people face chronic shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine.

After years of recession, its problems have been compounded by hyperinflation that the International Monetary Fund says will reach a staggering 10 million percent in 2019 – leaving salaries and savings virtually worthless.

An estimated 2.7 million Venezuelans have left the country since 2015, the United Nations says.

Guaido stunned the world last month, proclaiming himself Venezuela’s acting president after the National Assembly he leads had declared Maduro a usurper and illegitimate over his controversial re-election in May.

Those polls were widely criticised as fraudulent.

Guaido met with US Vice President Mike Pence and regional allies in Colombia to discuss possible solutions to Venezuela’s political crisis.

Pence reiterated US President Donald Trump’s stance that “all options are on the table” but the Lima Group ruled out a military intervention in Venezuela.

Ahead of his visit to Brazil, Guaido said he would return home this week, although there are fears he might be arrested when he does.

Bolsonaro “will host Guaido in a personal visit, although Guaido will be officially welcomed by the minister for foreign affairs, Ernesto Araujo,” said the Brazilian presidency’s spokesman Otavio Rego Barros on Wednesday. — AFP

My duty is to be in Caracas, despite the risks and regardless of what that implies.

Juan Guaido