Pompeo blasts Venezuela’s Maduro for push to block humanitarian aid
CARACAS, Venezuela — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lambasted Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday, blaming the Venezuelan president for blocking the path of humanitarian aid into the impoverished country.
The United States, which has called for Maduro’s ouster and recognized Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, has been coordinating with other countries in the region to deliver food and other provisions to Venezuela. But Wednesday, ahead of anticipated aid shipments, a bridge from Colombia that would have been an entry point into Venezuela was blocked by a tanker truck and two shipping containers placed horizontally across its lanes.
“The Venezuelan people desperately need humanitarian aid,” Pompeo tweeted. “The U.S. & other countries are trying to help, but #Venezuela’s military under Maduro’s orders is blocking aid with trucks and shipping tankers. The Maduro regime must LET THE AID REACH THE STARVING PEOPLE.”
White House national security adviser John Bolton also tweeted about Venezuela on Wednesday, saying senior officers with the Venezuelan military — an institution that has been instrumental to Maduro’s grip on power — could be shielded from financial penalties if they abandon Maduro and recognize “the constitutional government of President Juan Guaido. If not, the international financial circle will be closed off completely.”
The United States and dozens of other countries have refused to recognize Maduro’s presidency because of what were roundly criticized as fraudulent elections last year. Instead, they have backed Guaido, a relatively novice politician who has nonetheless rallied tens of thousands of Venezuelans in street protests against Maduro. The Trump administration has also dealt serious financial blows to the government by freezing overseas bank accounts and imposing sanctions on the state-owned oil company, cutting off the most significant revenue flow for that country. Russia, Cuba and China continue to stand with Maduro.
Stuck in the middle of the geopolitical drama are the people of Venezuela — and the humanitarian aid.
While eager to see Venezuelans receive much-needed help, relief agencies and nongovernmental organizations worry that the delivery of aid is being politicized and risks becoming a pawn in this brawl and potential ones in the future.
“Humanitarian action has to be independent of politics, military and other objectives,” Stephane Turjarric, a United Nations spokeswoman told journalists in New York.
Mario Villarroel, president of the Red Cross in Venezuela, emphasized his organization won’t take sides.
“When this material is given to us, we go under the criteria of neutrality, impartiality, independence,” he said.
The latest point of friction appears to have started over the weekend, when Venezuelan military personnel were seen along the Colombian-Venezuelan border, according to opposition lawmaker Franklyn Duarte. Tuesday, he said, Venezuelan troops blocked the Tienditas International bridge, which connects Venezuela to Colombia.