WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - U.S. national security adviser John Bolton and U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross will speak at a conference on Venezuela in Peru next week as part of a campaign to force President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

The Tuesday meeting will be a strong show of support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido from the more than 50 countries that have recognized him as the rightful president of Venezuela, said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

In his presentation, Ross will give attendees details on a post-Maduro reconstruction plan for Venezuela. "We plan to attend and have a big presence," the official said.

Peru had proposed the meeting as a way to build support for early elections in Venezuela, and wanted Maduro's allies such as Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and Turkey to take part.

But none of those countries are expected to attend, the U.S. official said.

Washington considers Maduro a dictator who stole last year's election and has slapped a series of escalating sanctions on Venezuela to pressure him to step down. Maduro has refused and vows to resist what he describes as U.S. imperialism.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering a blockade of Venezuela. His administration has so far focused on diplomatic and economic pressure against Maduro while steering clear of any military action.

Asked about Trump's comments on Thursday, the senior administration official declined to give details.

"I would take the president at his word and I would take his word very seriously," the official said, noting the administration did not want to give away "the element of surprise."

The official said Trump's warning should have the effect of pushing Maduro to take ongoing talks with the opposition in Barbados more seriously. "He has a short window to find an exit strategy," the official said.

Norway, which is mediating the Barbados talks, said on Friday that Maduro's government and the opposition have reiterated their willingness to continue negotiating to find a solution.

Asked whether the White House would consider protecting Venezuelans in the United States from deportation - a measure known as "temporary protected status" - the official said the administration was committed to ensuring no Venezuelan at risk of persecution would be deported, regardless of whether the TPS program is used. </s> Maduro reportedly extended an invitation to the US special envoy on Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, to meet with him. The State Department and Secretary of State would not comment on the prospect of such a meeting, but Mike Pompeo said Friday that the overture shows Maduro’s “increasing understanding that the Venezuelan people are rejecting him.”

Adding to the pressure campaign against the Maduro regime, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against five individuals who are, as described by Secretary Steven Mnuchin, “in charge of Maduro’s security and intelligence apparatus, which has systematically violated human rights and suppressed democracy, including through torture and other brutal use of force.”

Meanwhile, three defense officials tell CNN that US military aircraft will help ferry humanitarian aid to countries neighboring Venezuela in the hopes that the aid might be delivered to the Guaido administration.

While the Trump administration has repeatedly refused to rule out a military option to end the Venezuelan crisis, officials stress that the US military will only be transporting the aid to the region, adding that the flights could take place as early as this weekend. Pompeo noted Friday that the US would continue to deliver “massive humanitarian assistance” “as soon as this weekend.” While the initial military flights are expected to go to Cucuta, Colombia, a senior USAID official said Wednesday that the US could fly aid directly into Venezuela. The Acting Assistant Administrator for USAID’s Latin America and Caribbean Bureau, Steve Olive said they are in daily communication with self-declared interim President Juan Guaido and his team on avenues to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela. “We are also committed to pre-positioning goods and supplies in other parts if that’s necessary,” Olive said. “We also are looking at scenarios of flying things in if the situation permits.” Olive said the Maduro is not allowing access, but that they hoped to “change that scenario shortly.” On Friday, Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said that the US pre-positioned supplies “including food, hygiene kits, and medical supplies” last week and would “continue to coordinate with President Guaidó and his team of experts, governments in the region, and our humanitarian partners to mobilize aid for the Venezuelan people.” Guaido told a large group of anti-regime protesters in Caracas Tuesday that humanitarian aid will enter Venezuela by February 23, calling on all Venezuelans to help hand out the supplies. Venezuela’s opposition envoy to the United States, Carlos Vecchio, accused Maduro’s government on Thursday of blocking humanitarian aid and manipulating the suffering of the people. “The pain of our people is being manipulated and they don’t care how much our people are suffering,” Vecchio said while speaking at an international aid conference hosted at the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters in Washington. When two US trucks carrying food and medical supplies arrived at Venezuela’s border last week, they found the bridge to Venezuela blocked by an oil tanker and two large containers, according to a US official in the Colombian border town of Cucuta. In addition to Colombia, the government of the Netherlands announced Wednesday that the Caribbean island of Curaçao would also be used as a “hub” to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid bound for Venezuela “in close coordination” with Guaido and the US. Both the US and Dutch militaries have used facilities on Curaçao. US National Security Advisor John Bolton praised the move on Twitter. The announcement came just a day before the island was visited by Adm. Craig Faller, the head of US Southern Command which oversees military operations in South America. A spokesperson for Southern Command described the visit as long planned and said “there was no connection between the Admiral’s visit and the Dutch announcement.” The US, Canada and a majority of South American and Western European countries have recognized Guaido as the country’s interim president. Russia, China and Cuba continue to recognize the government of Maduro, who retains control over the country’s security forces. </s> WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - U.S. national security adviser John Bolton and U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross will speak at a conference on Venezuela in Peru next week as part of a campaign to force President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power, a senior U.S. official said on Friday.

The Tuesday meeting will be a strong show of support for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido from the more than 50 countries that have recognized him as the rightful president of Venezuela, said the official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

Peru had proposed the meeting as a way to build support for early elections in Venezuela, and wanted Maduro's allies such as Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and Turkey to take part.

But none of those countries are expected to attend, the U.S. official said.

Washington considers Maduro a dictator who stole last year's election and has slapped a series of escalating sanctions on Venezuela to pressure him to step down. Maduro has refused and vows to resist what he describes as U.S. imperialism.

On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was considering a blockade of Venezuela. His administration has so far focused on diplomatic and economic pressure against Maduro while steering clear of any military action.

Asked about Trump's comments on Thursday, the senior administration official declined to give details.

"I would take the president at his word and I would take his word very seriously," the official said, noting the administration did not want to give away "the element of surprise."

The official said Trump's warning should have the effect of pushing Maduro to take ongoing talks with the opposition in Barbados more seriously. "He has a short window to find an exit strategy," the official said.

Norway, which is mediating the Barbados talks, said on Friday that Maduro's government and the opposition have reiterated their willingness to continue negotiating to find a solution.

Asked whether the White House would consider protecting Venezuelans in the United States from deportation - a measure known as "temporary protected status" - the official said the administration was committed to ensuring no Venezuelan at risk of persecution would be deported, regardless of whether the TPS program is used. </s> The Latest: Bolton: US to send humanitarian aid to Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — The latest on the political crisis in Venezuela (all times local):

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton has tweeted that the United States plans to send humanitarian aid to Venezuela despite President Nicolas Maduro's refusal to accept aid.

Bolton's comments come after opposition leader Juan Guaido said late Thursday that he would defy the government aid ban and receive large convoys of medicine into Venezuela with the help of neighboring nations.

Bolton tweeted on Friday: "Pursuant to the request of Interim President Juan Guaido, and in consultation with his officials the US will mobilize and transport humanitarian aid_medicine, surgical supplies, and nutritional supplements for the people of Venezuela. It's time for Maduro to get out of the way."

Guaido declared last week that he's interim president of Venezuela and vowed to topple Maduro's administration. He's backed by the United States and roughly two dozen nations.

Venezuelan exiles who fled their homeland are telling U.S. Vice President Mike Pence that the moment has come to intervene and overthrow President Nicolas Maduro.

Pence told Venezuelans in Miami that Washington was working toward a "peaceful transition" so that opposition leader Juan Guaido comes to power, and he reassured them the Trump administration would continue to weaken Maduro.

"This is no time for dialogue," Pence said at a church, prompting loud cheers among Venezuelan exiles. "It is time to end the Maduro regime."

Before his speech, Pence sat down with a college professor, who says he was physically assaulted by armed pro-government groups. He also heard from other refugees such as a Venezuelan city councilman, who says he was accused of being a CIA agent.

Chevron Corp. says its operations in Venezuela will continue normally for the "foreseeable future" despite newly imposed U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA.

Chevron has four joint-venture operations for exploration and production with PDVSA, as the Venezuelan company is known. The Trump administration has banned U.S. companies from doing business with PDVSA but allowed a six-month grace period for companies with ongoing operations in the South American country.

Chevron CEO Michael Wirth says that, "For the foreseeable future, we feel like we can maintain a good stable operation and a safe operation on the ground in Venezuela." He spoke Friday in a conference call with Wall Street analysts.

Wirth also said Chevron's refining operations in the U.S. are well-prepared to handle an expected disruption of Venezuelan crude supply due to the sanctions. Wirth says Chevron had a contingency plan in place in anticipation of the sanctions and has alternate sourcing.

He says most of the Venezuelan crude oil it buys goes to its Pascagoula refinery in Mississippi. He said "we will keep the refinery full with crude."

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has arrived in Miami for a meeting with people who have fled Venezuela as Washington heightens its efforts to oust Nicolas Maduro from the presidency.

Pence is also meeting with community leaders, former elected officials and Florida senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott in the Miami suburb of Doral to talk about the South American nation's political crisis.

The Trump administration has backed opposition leader Juan Guaido as he has declared himself the interim president of Venezuela.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart are also participating in the round table.

A prominent Venezuelan lawmaker says that a group of European Union and Latin American countries aiming to solve the political crisis in Venezuela should support the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro without negotiations.

Francisco Sucre heads the international committee of the opposition-led National Assembly in Venezuela. He says that the "international contact group" announced on Thursday by the EU's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, "should help to cease the usurpation of power by Maduro and establish a transitional government until new elections."

"There is no possible discussion here, Maduro has to leave," Sucre told The Associated Press on Friday in Madrid, where he is wrapping up a three-day European tour to enlist support for opposition leader Juan Guaido.

The lawmaker says he welcomes the EU's involvement "because we are going to need its cooperation during the initial stages of the recovery of our country."

The European Parliament has called on the EU's member states to recognize Guaido as the interim president. The socialist government of Spain, which has strong historical, cultural and economic ties to Venezuela, has said it will do so on Monday if Maduro doesn't call a general election before Sunday.

Sucre says European support for Guaido will influence others.

He said: "Power is evaporating from Maduro's hands with the passing of the hours."

"We have been contacted by diplomatic workers across Europe who are ready to take a step forward, but they are waiting for the right moment."

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido says he's respectfully declining offers from the presidents of Mexico and Uruguay to negotiate with President Nicolas Maduro.

Guaido on Friday made public a letter that he's sending to both leaders. He urged them to be on the right side of history, saying that remaining neutral in the political struggle aligns them with Maduro.

Guaido declared last week that he's interim president of Venezuela and vowed to topple Maduro's administration. He's backed by the United States and roughly two dozen nations.

He says his priority is to hold democratic elections.

The United States also rejects offers from Mexico, Uruguay and the Vatican to mediate a dialogue. </s> CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Nicolas Maduro said in an AP interview Thursday that his foreign minister recently held secret talks in New York with the U.S. special envoy to Venezuela, even as the Trump…

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — President Nicolas Maduro said in an AP interview Thursday that his foreign minister recently held secret talks in New York with the U.S. special envoy to Venezuela, even as the Trump administration was publicly backing an effort to unseat the Venezuelan president.

While harshly criticizing Donald Trump’s confrontational stance toward his socialist government, Maduro said he holds out hope of meeting the U.S. president soon to resolve a crisis over America’s recognition of opponent Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s rightful leader.

Maduro said that while in New York, his foreign minister invited the Washington, D.C.-based envoy, Elliott Abrams, to come to Venezuela “privately, publicly or secretly.”

“If he wants to meet, just tell me when, where and how and I’ll be there,” Maduro said without providing more details. He said both New York meetings lasted several hours.

A senior administration official in Washington who was not authorized to speak publicly said U.S. officials were willing to meet with “former Venezuela officials, including Maduro himself, to discuss their exit plans.”

Venezuela is plunging deeper into a political chaos triggered by the U.S. demand that Maduro step down a month into a second term that the U.S. and its allies in Latin America consider illegitimate. His opponent, the 35-year-old Guaido, burst onto the political stage in January in the first viable challenge in years to Maduro’s hold on power.

As head of the Congress, Guaido declared himself interim president on Jan. 23, saying he had a constitutional right to assume presidential powers from the “tyrant” Maduro. He has since garnered broad support, calling massive street protests and winning recognition from the U.S. and dozens of nations in Latin America and Europe who share his goal of removing Maduro.

The escalating crisis is taking place against a backdrop of economic and social turmoil that has led to severe shortages of food and medicine that have forced millions to flee the once-prosperous OPEC nation.

Two senior Venezuelan officials who were not authorized to discuss the meetings publicly said the two encounters between Abrams and Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza came at the request of the U.S.

The first one on Jan. 26 they described as hostile, with the U.S. envoy threatening Venezuela with the deployment of troops and chastising the Venezuelan government for allegedly being in league with Cuba, Russia and Hezbollah.

When they met again this week, the atmosphere was less tense, even though the Feb. 11 encounter came four days after Abrams said the “time for dialogue with Maduro had long passed.” During that meeting, Abrams insisted that severe U.S. sanctions would oust Maduro even if Venezuela’s military stuck by him.

Abrams gave no indication the U.S. was prepared to ease demands Maduro step down. Still, the Venezuelans saw the meetings as a sign there is room for discussion with the Americans despite the tough public rhetoric coming from Washington.

At turns conciliatory and combative, 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 reserves.

He said U.S. sanctions on the oil industry are to blame for mounting hardships even though shortages and hyperinflation that economists say topped 1 million percent long predates Trump’s recent action.

“The infected hand of Donald Trump is hurting Venezuela,” Maduro said.

The sanctions effectively ban all oil purchases by the U.S., which had been Venezuela’s biggest oil buyer until now. Maduro said he will make up for the sudden drop in revenue by targeting markets in Asia, especially India, where the head of state-run oil giant PDVSA was this week negotiating new oil sales.

“We’ve been building a path to Asia for many years,” he said. “It’s a successful route, every year they are buying larger volumes and amounts of oil.”

He also cited the continued support of China and especially Russia, which has been a major supplier of loans, weapons and oil investment over the years. He said that backing from Russian President Vladimir Putin runs the risk of converting the current crisis into a high-risk geopolitical fight between the U.S. and Russia that recalls some of the most-dangerous brinkmanship of the Cold War.

Amid the mounting pressure at home and abroad, Maduro said he won’t give up power as a way to defuse the standoff.

He called boxes of U.S.-supplied humanitarian aid sitting in a warehouse on the border in Colombia mere “crumbs” after the U.S. administration froze billions of dollars in the nation’s oil revenue and overseas assets.

“They hang us, steal our money and then say ‘here, grab these crumbs’ and make a global show out of it,” said Maduro. “With dignity we say ‘No to the global show.’ Whoever wants to help Venezuela is welcome, but we have enough capacity to pay for everything that we need.”

Opponents say the 56-year-old former bus driver has lost touch with his working-class roots, accusing him of ordering mass arrests and starving Venezuelans while he and regime insiders — including the top military brass — line their pockets through corruption.

But Maduro shrugged off the label of “dictator,” attributing it to an ideologically driven media campaign by the West to undermine the socialist revolution started by the late Hugo Chavez.

He said he won’t resign, seeing his place in history alongside other Latin American leftists from Salvador Allende in Chile to Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala who in decades past had been the target of U.S.-backed coups.

“I’m not afraid,” he said, adding that even last year’s attack on him with explosives-laden drones during a military ceremony didn’t shake his resolve. “I’m only worried about the destiny of the fatherland and of our people, our boys and girls….this is what gives me energy.”

This story has been amended to correct the day that Juan Guaido declared himself interim president.

Copyright © 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed. </s> MOSCOW (Reuters) - A top Russian security official on Tuesday accused the United States of deploying forces in Puerto Rico and Colombia in preparation for a military intervention in Venezuela to topple Moscow's ally, President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuela, which has been plunged into political turmoil, was rocked by violent clashes at the weekend. The United States and a raft of other countries have backed the country's opposition, while China and Russia have stood by Maduro's government.

"... The United States is preparing a military invasion of an independent state," Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, was quoted as saying in an interview with weekly newspaper Argumenty i Fakty.

"The transfer of American special operations forces to Puerto Rico, the landing of U.S. forces in Colombia and other facts indicate the Pentagon is reinforcing its troops in the region in order to use them in an operation to remove ... Maduro from power."

Patrushev said in the interview that Washington had asked Moscow for consultations on Venezuela and that Russia had agreed, but that U.S. officials had repeatedly postponed them under false pretexts.

When asked on Tuesday if Washington was preparing to take military action in Venezuela, the U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, responded: "No."

"The president has said all options are on the table. Presidents always say that and rightly so. But it ill behooves the Russians to talk about military intervention after they have dismembered both Georgia and Ukraine," Abrams told reporters at the United Nations ahead of a Security Council meeting on Venezuela.

U.S. officials have previously dismissed Russian allegations about U.S. plans for Venezuela as baseless "propaganda".

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.

Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button. </s> A senior administration official says National Security Adviser John Bolton and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross will lead a U.S. delegation at an initial conference held by countries which recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela.

The official said Bolton will talk about the next steps for U.S. policy, while Ross will share a plan focused on reconstruction in the South American country if President Nicolás Maduro is no longer in power.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

The Aug. 6 meeting in Peru will include representatives from over 50 nations which hold that Maduro's re-election last year was fraudulent. Russia, Cuba and Turkey have declined an invitation to attend. </s> MUNICH (Reuters) - U.S. military aircraft are expected to deliver more than 200 tons of humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan border in Colombia, with the shipment likely to take place on Saturday, a U.S. official said on Friday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. State Department planned to make an announcement about the shipment on Friday but provided no further details. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. special envoy on Venezuela last week said the aid effort was being coordinated with the opposition team but said the aid would not be forced into Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has overseen an economic collapse in the oil-rich South American country that has left millions struggling to buy food and medicines and has fueled an unprecedented migration crisis in the region.

An aid convoy supplied by the United States and Colombia arrived in the Colombian border town of Cucuta last week, where it is being held in warehouses. Maduro has refused to let supplies in.

Self-declared president Juan Guaido, the opposition leader, told a huge rally of supporters on Tuesday that humanitarian aid would enter the country on Feb. 23.

Guaido invoked constitutional provisions to declare himself interim president last month, arguing that Maduro’s 2018 re-election was a sham. Most Western countries, including the United States and many of Venezuela’s neighbors, have recognized Guaido as the legitimate head of state.

Maduro retains the backing of Russia and China and control of Venezuelan state institutions including the military.

Seeking to strengthen support for Guaido, the United States has said it will try to channel aid to Venezuela via Colombia and possibly Brazil.

Maduro has called the aid a U.S.-orchestrated show and denies any crisis. However, opposition member Gustavo Tarre has said the sole aim is to ease “the suffering of Venezuelans” and has denied any political, economic or military motive. [nL1N2090UC] </s> MOSCOW (Reuters) - A top Russian security official on Tuesday accused Washington of deploying forces in Puerto Rico and Colombia in preparation for a military intervention in Venezuela to topple Moscow's ally, President Nicolas Maduro, something the United States denied.

"... The United States is preparing a military invasion of an independent state," Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, was quoted as saying in an interview with weekly newspaper Argumenty i Fakty.

"The transfer of American special operations forces to Puerto Rico, the landing of U.S. forces in Colombia and other facts indicate the Pentagon is reinforcing its troops in the region in order to use them in an operation to remove ... Maduro from power," Patrushev said.

However, the U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, when asked on Tuesday if Washington was preparing to take military action in Venezuela, responded: "No."

"The president has said all options are on the table. Presidents always say that and rightly so. But it ill behooves the Russians to talk about military intervention after they have dismembered both Georgia and Ukraine," Abrams told reporters at the United Nations ahead of a Security Council meeting on Venezuela.

Venezuela, which has been plunged into political turmoil, was rocked by violent clashes at the weekend. The United States and a raft of other countries have backed the country's opposition, while China and Russia have stood by Maduro's government.

Patrushev said Washington had asked Moscow for consultations on Venezuela and that Russia had agreed, but that U.S. officials had repeatedly postponed them under false pretexts.

U.S. officials have previously dismissed Russian allegations about U.S. plans for Venezuela as baseless "propaganda".

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.

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A senior United States administration official says the U.S. is willing to meet with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to negotiate an exit to the crisis, as the U.S. military helps deliver aid to Venezuela.