On 19 February, the Latin American country’s regional military chief announced the closure of the Venezuelan maritime border with the Dutch Caribbean.

Venezuela will close the border with neighboring island nations, suspend air traffic and revise their diplomatic ties, its Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said Wednesday after the Caribbean island of Curacao agreed to act as a hub for relief aid shipments.

“Venezuela has decided not only to shut the border but also to revise relations with these countries. These measures will be in place until their governments start following and respecting international laws,” she said at a press conference broadcast by the state television.

Earlier in the day, the Reuters news agency reports, citing a regional military commander that Venezuela’s government had reopened its national maritime border with the Dutch Antilles islands following its closure on Tuesday.

This comes after Venezuela’s regional military chief said on Tuesday that he had ordered the closure of the Venezuelan maritime border with the Dutch Antilles islands. The move was made amid Dutch plans to open a logistical hub for humanitarian aid on the island of Curacao, however, the exact reasons behind Caracas’ decision to close the border remain unclear.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro refused to accept US aid that is currently waiting in Colombia, blasting it as a ploy to topple his government.

Venezuela is in the midst of a political crisis, which escalated in late January when Venezuelan opposition parliamentary speaker Juan Guaido declared himself interim president, disputing last year’s re-election of Maduro.

Guaido was recognized by the United States and a number of other countries. At the same time, Russia, China, Mexico, Turkey and Uruguay were among those that voiced their support for Maduro as the country’s legitimately elected president. </s> The White House warned the Venezuelan military that any violence committed against civilians at its borders with Brazil and Colombia where aid waits to be brought into the country "will not be forgotten."

On Tuesday, the Brazilian government offered humanitarian aid to the country at the request of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, the Guardian reported.

The aid, which is to be delivered by Feb. 23, is to be brought over the border from the northern Brazilian city of Boa Vista in Venezuelan trucks driven by Venezuelan nationals.

The announcement comes as U.S. aid is being readied to be shipped over into Venezuela from the northwestern Colombian border town of Cucuta, though it is not yet known how this aid will cross into the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has protested the need for aid and he has claimed that this entire situation stems from U.S. efforts at organizing a coup.

To prevent the U.S. aid from entering, Madura has blockaded a major bridge between Colombia and Venezuela with containers and an oil tanker truck.

Guaido had called for volunteers to help deliver the aid and he said some 600,000 have responded to transport the aid on Saturday.

The announcement of aid comes as the Venezuelan military has vowed to support Maduro, who since having his position stripped in late March has seen international recognition dissipate.

Since Guaido gained control of the control in mid-January, dozens of countries have backed his presidency, further denying Maduro's claim to the helm of the South American nation.

National security advisor John Bolton said in a tweet Tuesday that the Venezuelan military must uphold its duty to protect citizens at its borders and allow aid to be brought into the country.

"Any actions by the Venezuelan military to condone or instigate violence against peaceful civilians at the Colombian and Brazilian borders will not be forgotten. Leaders still have time to make the right choice."

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Maduro and his supporters during a speech in Miami, Florida, that the entire world was watching them.

"We seek a peaceful transition of power, but all options are open," he said. "You will lose everything. Let your people go, set your country free."

This article has been adapted from its original source. </s> Venezuela's embattled President Nicolas Maduro has ordered the border with Brazil to be closed in response to opposition leaders vowing to facilitate entry of foreign humanitarian aid, especially US aid shipments, from neighboring nations.

Maduro declared closure of the border during a state television address, in which he also said he's considering shutting down Venezuela's border with Colombia as well. The opposition, led by US-backed Juan Guaido, has said it plans to mount caravans to ensure aid is brought in from both Colombia and Brazil, in order to undermine and otherthrow the Maduro government.

The drastic action is being taken tonight, Maduro said, in order to "protect the people" while further repeating his charge that American attempts to send aid into the country is a US-orchestrated "political show" in order to foment coup against his elected government.

National Assembly head Guaido, meanwhile, has personally vowed to lead a convoy to receive aid shipments from across the Colombian border. "On February 23, humanitarian aid will enter Venezuela one way or another," the self-declared president said earlier this month.

The provocative move to undermine Maduro's power has been acknowledged as just that by the opposition, who've recently openly stated that the "humanitarian channel" is a direct political jab at Caracas. Though the tons of much needed aid, including food and medicine supplies, is reportedly piling up along border points especially in Colombia, it's anything but merely "benevolent" - the opposition acknowledges.

"The impact of the humanitarian aid is highly political," Juan Miguel Matheus, an MP for the opposition told CNN this week. "Our first and primary goal is to provide relief for the Venezuelan population, but after that, with this move we want to checkmate Maduro."

"If the aid gets in, Maduro is shown to have lost control of the situation; if it doesn't get in, we show that Maduro doesn't care for the suffering of the people," he added.

Meanwhile Maduro has stationed troops along the Colombian border at sensitive areas and control points, while also vowing to defend against any unlawful incursions. This as American military planes have over the past days been coming and going, ostensibly with further humanitarian deliveries.

Should Maduro close both borders with Colombia and Brazil, however, it will isolate Venezuela further both economically and politically, which will likely increase both internal and external international pressures on the regime. </s> Maduro closes the border with Brazil; Guaidó leads caravan to Colombian border

President Nicolas Maduro ordered the closure of Venezuela's border with Brazil on Thursday in an increasingly fraught power struggle. Guaido set out in a convoy of vehicles to personally pick up US aid being stockpiled on the other side of the Colombian border, defying Maduro's military to stop him.

Recognized as interim president by more than 50 countries, he left the capital Caracas for the Colombian border in a convoy of several vehicles for the 900-kilometre trip.

Embattled Maduro has dismissed Guaido's humanitarian caravan as a cheap show and slammed aid as a precursor for a US military intervention in the oil-rich but crippled Latin American country.

The 35-year-old leader of the Venezuelan legislature proclaimed himself acting president Jan 23 and wants to oust Maduro, set up a transitional government and hold new elections.

A separate caravan of buses and trucks containing opposition lawmakers had earlier left eastern Caracas bound for the border.

Several of the trucks were stopped by security forces and their drivers forced to get out, but the rest of the caravan was allowed to continue, lawmakers said.

We know that the regime is going to put all obstacles to prevent us from reaching the border, but nothing is stopping us, we are going to continue, said opposition lawmaker Yanet Fermin.

Signaling his growing disquiet, Maduro announced on Thursday that the border with Brazil - which along with Colombia is one of the main potential avenues for aid delivery would be completely and absolutely closed from 8:00 pm until further notice.

Maria Teresa Belandria, Guaido's designated ambassador in Brazil, said aid deliveries would go ahead nonetheless. The operation goes on. There's no going back.

She said 100 tons of food, medicines and emergency kits were waiting to be trucked from Boa Vista to Pacaraima on the Venezuelan border.

Maduro also warned on Thursday he was considering a total closure of the border with Colombia to Venezuela's west.

He has already ordered the military to barricade a major border bridge to prevent supplies from entering the country from Cucuta, Colombia, where tons of humanitarian aid are being stockpiled, most of it from the United States.

The military announced a ban on vessels putting to sea from Venezuelan ports until Sunday to avoid actions by criminal groups.

Meanwhile, Maduro - mirroring Guaido's move in an attempt to show his socialist government was able to look after its people - ordered a shipment of thousands of food boxes to be distributed to the needy along the Colombian border.

Shipments of food and medicine for the crisis-stricken population have become a key focus of the power struggle between Maduro and Guaido.

Guaido, who says 300,000 people could die without an influx of aid, says he aims to rally a million volunteers to start bringing it in by Saturday.

It remained unclear how he proposed to do so if the blockade continues, but experts have pointed to the notoriously porous 2,200 kilometre border, which is perforated by well-worn drug trafficking and contraband routes.

Guaido said the planned entry points for aid were the Brazilian and Colombian borders, the island of Curacao and the seaports of Puerto Cabello and La Guaira.

Venezuela's vice-president Delcy Rodriguez said the government was shutting down air and sea links between Curacao and Venezuela.

However Carlos Faria, one of the leaders of a group of Venezuelans organizing aid shipments via Curacao, revealed a plane carrying 50 tons of food and medicine was expected from Miami on Thursday and would be loaded onto a Venezuela-bound ship on Friday.

Amnesty International's Americas director Erika Guevara urged authorities to guarantee access for those bringing in aid. </s> (BBC) Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced he is closing the border with Brazil on Thursday night as a row over foreign humanitarian aid continues.

The embattled leftist leader went on TV to say that he was also considering shutting the border with Colombia to stop the opposition bringing in relief.

He denies any crisis and calls the aid delivery plans a US-orchestrated show.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó is leading a convoy to the Colombian border from the capital Caracas.

Mr Guaidó declared himself interim leader during anti-government protests last month and is recognised by dozens of foreign states.

Buses forming his convoy set off from the city on Thursday to cheering crowds.

Mr Guaidó and his allies hope to collect food and medicine in defiance of President Maduro.

The Venezuelan military has so far managed to block shipments of US aid from coming across the border with Colombia.

Despite denying there is any humanitarian crisis, Mr Maduro announced this week that 300 tonnes of aid would be shipped to Venezuela from its ally Russia.

More than three million Venezuelans have fled in recent years as the country grapples with hyperinflation and shortages of essentials like food and medicine, the UN says.

Mr Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has been criticised at home and abroad for his handling of the economy.

Flanked by Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez and other top military commanders, Mr Maduro announced that the border with Brazil would be closed “completely and absolutely” from 20:00 (23:00 GMT) until further notice.

The president also added: “I don’t want to take any decision of this type but I am evaluating it, a total closure of the border with Colombia.”

He says the delivery of aid is part of a US-led attempt to depose his government and seize Venezuela’s oil reserves.

The right-wing Brazilian government of President Jair Bolsonaro is among those that recognise Mr Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader, pending elections.

Presidential spokesman Gen Otávio Régo Barros said on Tuesday that, in co-ordination with the US, food and medicine would be available in the border town of Pacaraima to be collected by “the government of acting President Juan Guaidó in Venezuelan trucks driven by Venezuelans”.

“Brazil is taking part in this important international initiative to support the Guaidó government and the Venezuelan people,” he said.

Mr Guaidó has said 600,000 volunteers have already signed up to help carry aid into the country on Saturday.

Venezuela earlier closed its sea and air border with Curacao, a Dutch Caribbean island off Venezuela’s north coast which is planning to host US aid.

Where is the convoy going?

It is expected to travel some 800-900km (500-560 miles) to the Colombian border where aid is being stockpiled at two points.

“Confirmed – it’s rolling,” a spokesman for Mr Guaidó’s convoy told AFP news agency on Thursday after he left Caracas by car.

Earlier in the day, other vehicles in the convoy were blocked for several hours before being allowed to proceed, AFP says.

“We know that the regime is going to put all obstacles to prevent us from reaching the border, but nothing is stopping us, we are going to continue,” opposition MP Yanet Fermin told the news agency.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan government announced it would deliver 20,600 of its own food boxes to the Colombian border area. </s> CARACAS, Venezuela — The political showdown convulsing Venezuela escalated into deadly violence at the border with Brazil on Friday, as security forces fired on a group of indigenous Venezuelans protesting the government’s determination to block aid deliveries from outside the country.

Witnesses and local officials reported the confrontation a day after President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, facing the biggest challenge of his political career, ordered all crossings at the Brazil border closed.

At least two civilians were killed and more than a dozen wounded in the confrontation with security forces in the Gran Sabana area, along Venezuela’s southeast border with Brazil, according to Américo de Grazia, an opposition lawmaker from the state of Bolívar. The Gran Sabana area is inhabited by the Pemón, an indigenous community.

The Venezuelans were protesting the government’s decision to halt all unauthorized imports of emergency food and medical aid into Venezuela, which is suffering increasingly severe shortages. The opposition has vowed to deliver tons of donated humanitarian aid on Saturday, even against Mr. Maduro’s orders. </s> This story was originally published in Spanish by Rolling Stone Colombia‘s editors. Read the original Spanish version here.

Update 2/23/18: The moment of music had long passed, and now it was nearing 7 a.m. on Saturday and the Colombian authorities were preparing to pass humanitarian aid to Venezuela. The night before, however, Delcy Rodríguez, vice president of Venezuela, announwced the closure of the Simón Bolívar, Unión and Santander bridges for “the serious and illegal threats attempted by the Government of Colombia against La Paz.”

By 8 a.m., members of the Bolivarian National Guard had already deserted, but Venezuelan soldiers, who prevented their passage to their country, guarded the same border. In Ureña, one of the municipalities closest to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, there were protests and clashes between citizens — who demanded the passage of humanitarian aid — and the military that was preventing it.

Colombia’s president, Iván Duque, handed aid over to Juan Guaidó, Venezuela’s opposition leader, at a press conference, and Guaidó said: “We ask the Venezuelan military to stand on the right side and receive their brothers who are taking help to serve the people of Venezuela.” The tractors that loaded all the supplies arrived at the Simón Bolívar bridge, where hundreds of volunteers were preparing to pass humanitarian aid through a human chain.

During a demonstration in Caracas, Nicolás Maduro announced that he was breaking political and diplomatic relations with Colombia, giving all diplomatic personnel 24 hours to leave Venezuela. As the hours wore on, there were reports that at least 23 members of the Venezuelan military and police defected at the borders. Convoys of trucks carrying food aid and medical supplies set off for Venezuela from border towns in Colombia and Brazil. Volunteers, protestors and opposition leaders were met with teargas and rubber bullets, and at least three aid trucks near the Colombian border were burned.

CÚCUTA, COLOMBIA 2/22/18 — Friday’s Venezuela Aid Live, according to its website (where people can still donate), sought to bring humanitarian aid that’s in Colombia across the border to reach the most-affected Venezuelans, raise awareness of the situation in Venezuela and raise funds for a social development plan with which expatriates could return to their country.

Reymar Perdomo opened the concert with “Me Fui,” a song that has become a hymn for Venezuelan expatriates with a video that went viral in Latin America. Perdomo is Venezuelan and has been living in Lima, Peru, playing and singing in buses.

After the performance, Richard Branson, founder of Virgin and organizer of the festival, gave a speech in which he thanked the attendees for being in Cúcuta to celebrate the lives of all Venezuelans. “If we can take people into space, why is it so difficult to get people out of poverty?” he said. People chanted: “Richard, Richard, Richard!” To speed up the change of artists on the stage, there was a revolving platform: As the musicians were playing on one side, the instruments of the next were mounted.

Jose Luis Rodriguez, “El Puma,” came out and started with a very clear message. “Thanks to dear Colombia and the United States,” he said, adding, “Enough of left-wing dictatorships in Latin America!” Already the political game was installed from the beginning. He sang “Agárrense las manos/Hold Your Hands” with an instrumental track and no band.

Reinaldo Armas, Cholo Valderrama and Jorge Glem arrived to dance at the tip of llanera music. Then came Jencarlos Canela with his success “Bajito,” while improvising phrases that invited people to donate, and Danny Ocean, wearing a T-shirt that depicted Mandela eating arepa, started dancing with “Dembow” and “Me rehúso/I refuse.”

Later in the afternoon, the most anticipated names came out. Paulina Rubio brought her pop and Diego Torres sang, as would be expected, “Color Esperanza/Color of Hope.” Silvestre Dangond started the party again and Maluma, accompanied only on guitar, followed in the midst of shouts from fans.

Miguel Bosé, who was at the border 11 years ago for the Concert for Peace that Juanes organized, filled the Tienditas Bridge with emotion and tears. Then, Carlos Baute landed with “Te regalo” and, obviously, “Yo me quedo en Venezuela (I Stay in Venezuela).” Luis Fonsi finished with “Despacito” and then Juan Luis Guerra showed all his experience with “I hope it rains coffee.” Fonseca sang “Te Mando Flores/I Sent You Flowers” and gave way to Carlos Vives.

While there was a party on one side — with attendees singing on the border between Venezuela and Brazil at the Tienditas Bridge — in the state of Bolívar, two indigenous people died at the hands of the Bolivarian National Guard, according to the NGO Kapé Kapé. According Semana magazine, they were trying to keep a road open to allow the entry of humanitarian aid when special forces broke in. In addition to the two deceased, there were also 15 injured.

After 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the Venezuelan concert finally began. Composed mainly of Venezuelan artists related to the government of Maduro — such as Paul Gillman, who sang “Resistiré,” while waving the flag of his country, and Skaracas — it was also known that Grupo Niche refused to play in the “Hands Off Venezuela” concert.

Looking primarily at the music presentations, Venezuela Aid Live left much to be desired due to technical problems, instrument issues, the many instrumental tracks used and the crowd area being far from the stage. Sure, people enjoyed it, and the real goal was beyond the shows. If Branson wanted to put the eyes of the world on the border, he succeeded.

The news agencies were reporting live from Cúcuta, with journalists from all over Latin America in attendance, along with the United States, Canada, Portugal and Spain and other countries. The speeches by several of the artists against Maduro sent a clear message that would surely annoy Roger Waters. Tomorrow it will be seen if humanitarian aid finally crosses the border. </s> RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian authorities on Friday began moving humanitarian aid to its northern border with Venezuela even though the international crossing has been closed.

Brazil’s air force sent a plane with food and medicine to Boa Vista, the main city in the northern state of Roraima. They planned to transport via trucks the goods, which included rice, powered milk and first aid kits, to Pacaraima, the city that borders Venezuela.

Humanitarian aid to Venezuela has become a flashpoint in the struggle between President Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by over 50 nations, including Brazil, as the country’s president.

Guaido has announced plans to bring in aid on Saturday via Brazil, Colombia and the Caribbean island of Curacao.

In anticipation of the planned aid delivery on Saturday, on Thursday Maduro closed Brazil’s border crossing. The maritime border with Curacao had also been shut.

Brazilian officials stressed Friday they would not engage in a military confrontation with oil-rich Venezuela, which supplies much of Roraima’s energy.

“We have to wait and see how things develop,” Augusto Heleno, minister of institutional security, told Globo News. “What’s clear is that Brazil will not take any aggressive action.”

Still, desperately needed aid sitting on the border was sure to raise tensions in Pacaraima, a dusty city with many dirt roads. In recent years, Pacaraima has received thousands of Venezuelans crossing the border in search of food and medicine. While most Venezuelans continue to other Brazilian cities, the most destitute stay in Pacaraima because they have no money for bus fare.

Instead, they sleep on the sides of roads, look for odd jobs and try to hitch hike to Boa Vista, about three hours drive south. Many are emaciated and have health problems.

On Friday, many Venezuelans could be seen crossing the border illegally away from the checkpoint.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. </s> Feb. 23 (UPI) -- More than 60 Venezuelan National Guard troops defected Saturday from President Nicolas Maduro's regime to Colombia amid an armed government blockade of humanitarian aid.

Some troops abandoned their posts at the Simon Bolivar International Bridge on the Colombia-Venezuela border, CNN reported. Two members of the Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela fled with their families, Colombian immigration authorities said.

The Venezuelan guardsmen held rifles and handguns over their heads as they were received by Colombian migration authorities.

Opposition leader Juan Guaido, the National Assembly president, whom the United States and nearly 60 other countries have recognized as interim president instead of Maduro, hopes for more defections.

The Venezuelan National Guard fired tear gas and rubber bullets at 500 protesters, attempting to rush into Colombia, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Despite an armed government blockade, Guaido has said that international aid for the country, reeling from a long political and economic crisis, would enter.

Maduro had ordered the blockade of the international bridge connecting the country to the Colombian city of Cucuta earlier this month ahead of U.S. humanitarian aid arriving in Colombia a week ago. Maduro also closed the Venezuela-Brazil border Thursday, citing the planned delivery of foreign aid against his wishes.

While the country's poverty has soared to record levels with a lack of medicine and food, Maduro denies the humanitarian crisis exists and says the U.S. aid efforts are part of a plot to bring down his government.

Maduro, speaking at a rally in the capital of Caracas, severed diplomatic relations with Colombia, and threatened the United States with "the strength of the Venezuelan armed forces."

U.S. Vice President Pence will meet with Guaido on Monday in Bogota, during Pence's visit to Colombia, a White House official said Saturday, according CNN.

"We denounce Maduro's refusal to let humanitarian assistance reach #Venezuela," U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted on Twitter. "What kind of a sick tyrant stops food from getting to hungry people? The images of burning trucks filled with aid are sickening."

On Friday, at least two people died when troops loyal to Maduro opened fire on citizens attempting to keep Venezuela's southern border with Brazil open to humanitarian aid this weekend.

Guaido took to Twitter to encourage Venezuelans to protest Maduro's blockade of humanitarian aid.

"We call on everyone to go out into the streets on a massive scale throughout the country, to demonstrate peacefully in the barracks to demand # FANB [Venezuelan armed forces] to let humanitarian aid go through," Guaido tweeted Saturday. "Let's make today the cry of an entire people that wants life, future and freedom."
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro orders the closing of his country's border with Brazil. International humanitarian aid is currently scheduled to enter Venezuela on February 23, under foreign military protection.