HIT THE ROAD, NIC!
Venezuela mass protests vs. prez
Millions of Venezuelans swarmed into the streets Tuesday as opposition leader Juan Guaidó organized protests across the nation against the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
Guaidó also set a deadline for the embattled Venezuelan president to allow emergency food and medicine to enter the country. Guaidó said he’s mobilizing caravans to deliver humanitarian aid across the Colombian border on Feb. 23, a month to the day since he declared himself the interim president and called on Maduro to step down.
He is also establishing a second collection point in Brazil.
“The armed forces will have a few days to decide whether to stand by the constitution and allow the entry of humanitarian aid,” he told supporters, ramping up the pressure on Maduro to accept desperately needed outside aid.
“Enough of hunger, of misery, of usurpation of power.”
Despite the protests, the military so far has remained loyal to Maduro. He has resisted intense internal and global pressure to hold free and fair elections as the crisis escalates, and has refused to step down or accept assistance, claiming it’s a Trump administration ploy to invade his country.
“Venezuela is a country that has dignity, and the United States has intended to create a humanitarian crisis in order to justify a military intervention. And this is part of that show,” he said in an interview with the BBC that aired Tuesday.
He added that he will reject the “minuscule crumbs that they intend to bring with toxic food, with leftovers that they have.”
Last week, Maduro, re-elected in what international observers say was a sham vote, blocked a bridge leading to the Colombian border to prevent shipments of food and medicine.
Humanitarian groups estimate millions of Venezuelans have fled the country to escape the misery and poverty caused by the political and economic crises.
Speaking in New York, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza called for “deepening cooperation” with UN agencies in areas “impacted by the international assault by the United States.”
But he insisted. “there isn’t a humanitarian crisis,”
He wouldn’t say if he has asked the UN for food or other aid.
Arreaza blamed his nation’s woes on sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.