nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
What is at stake is the shared future of Venezuela and Colombia. If Venezuelans are empowered through jobs and education, they will be better equipped to ultimately return home and contribute to the rebuilding of a post crisis Venezuela. If, on the other hand, we fail to invest in their human capital, a stable and prosperous Venezuela becomes less likely. Put simply, how we treat Venezuelans in exile will shape the future trajectory of the country.
Venezuela's annual inflation has topped 2 million percent and chronic shortages of food and medicine have driven a spike in malnutrition and preventable diseases.
The issue of humanitarian aid to Venezuela has reportedly become a matter of controversy in recent days amid concerns that foreign countries could use such deliveries as a cover to achieve political or military objectives.
Christoph Harnisch, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross  ( ICRC )  in Columbia, has said his organization would not assist in delivering the goods to Venezuela because the ICRC does not consider the US assistance to be humanitarian aid. Earlier this month, the ICRC warned US officials against politicizing humanitarian assistance and delivering aid without the consent of local authorities.
British billionaireRichard Bransonwill organize an international benefit concert next week, called Venezuela Aid Live, to help ease the ongoing crisis in the South American nation.
"Es rudo, todo deja de funcionar. En los días de apagón uno no hace nada, no hay internet, no hay acceso al efectivo", indicó Yendresca Muñoz, analista de banco de 34 años. La única esperanza es "salir de este gobierno", sostuvo.
Job creation is the most important but challenging aspect of turning migration into a development opportunity. To be sustainable, Venezuelans cannot simply displace Colombians; new jobs must be created. And that requires new investment from multilateral financial institutions, bilateral donors, and the private sector. The public sector employment service cannot fulfil this task alone. It currently has 9240 job vacancies across the entire country. In Norte de Santander it has 314 vacancies listed, and around 40,000 people registered as looking for work, of whom around 4000 are Venezuelans.
"This is very important because 300,000 out of three million Venezuelans are staying in disastrous sanitary conditions," he added.
"La mercancía se daña, no hay agua, el transporte casi no funciona, no hay comunicación, yo no sé lo que pasa con mi familia, la inseguridad se agrava", fustigó Néstor Carreño, encargado de una pizzería que debió cerrar, en un acomodado barrio de Caracas.
pagón deja al 91% de Venezuela sin conexión a internet
The petro was designed to help Venezuela's government keep up with international financial obligations at a time when the country's collapsing economy was hit by sanctions from the U.S. and European Union.
"Nothing is working," Yendresca Munoz, a 34 year old bank analyst living in Caracas told Reuters news agency. "During blackout days you can't do anything at all. There's no internet, no access to cash."
Infrastructure improvements were made to, and basic materials provided for, the emergency services of four hospitals in the central area of the country in order to improve conditions in terms of access to water, lighting, electrical installations, maintenance of the electricity backup equipment and air conditioning.
The army has placed shipping containers and a water tanker athwart the bridge to keep the Yanqui medicines out.
Over 370 military and civilian medical professionals from the national public health system received training in ER trauma management and in special surgery for people injured by firearms and explosive devices.
123 participants, mostly officers from the Venezuelan armed forces, participated in train the trainer courses on the use of force in operations to maintain law and order, and these participants in turn passed on this training to more than 6,300 officers.
If that fails, the backup plan is to send a “caravan' of volunteers to carry in the aid, presumably on foot. Mr Guaidó called on transport workers, doctors and nurses to join in. More than 250,000 people have registered to help, he claims.
The US government believes the Russian troops include special forces and cybersecurity personnel.
US PresidentDonald Trumphas called on Russia to pull its troops from Venezuela and warned that "all options" were open to making that happen.
On February 22, the Latin American country received 7.5 tonnes of humanitarian cargo from Russia, including medicine, medical equipment and consumables.
Hyperinflation is so extreme that Venezuelans cannot buy enough food and many of them are losing on average 11kg in body weight a year. This phenomenon has been ironically dubbed the "Maduro Diet".
"My major worry is where the money for my family is coming from," adds the 45 year old father of eight, four from his first marriage and four with his current wife, Maria.
Anderson, a 23 year old blacksmith and father to a six month year old daughter, has lost his job and cannot buy any food. He has to dig through rubbish for scraps of food
Venezuela's chief state prosecutor said on Thursday an investigation had been opened into directors of state run oil firm PDVSA, and its U.S. refiner Citgo, that the opposition controlled congress appointed on Wednesday.
After again downplaying her question, Abrams said "the entire thrust of American policy in Venezuela is to support the Venezuelan people's effort to restore democracy to their country.
"China apoya los esfuerzos realizados por el gobierno de Venezuelapara mantener la soberanía, la independencia y la estabilidad nacional", señaló la portavoz del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores Hua Chunying en rueda de prensa, un día después del acto de Guaidó en Caracas.
Hua remarcó además que Pekín"se opone a la interferencia extranjera en los asuntos de Venezuela", en un aparente mensaje a Washington, el primer gobierno en reconocer a Guaidó y en instar a aumentar la presión internacional contra Maduro.
Desde su llegada al poder en 2013, el presidente Xi Jinping impulsó la expansión de la influencia china en Latinoamérica y su estrategia es vista por algunos expertos como un intento de hacer de "contrapeso" a Washington en esta región.
Some Venezuelans have even put off buying medication, expecting that the American donations will arrive across the border soon, Mr. Smilde said.
As a shipment of US aid waits in a Colombian frontier warehouse, hungry Venezuelans living nearby are wondering when they will next eat.
While the Venezuelan opposition plans to introduce shipments of humanitarian aid to the country on February 23, it's unclear how they will do it without the support of the military and police, who remain loyal to a defiant Maduro.
She added that by creating a political showdown over the humanitarian shipment, the White House only increased the prospects that Mr. Maduro would keep blocking the aid.
For more than a week, activists and officials have said they are mulling the option of simply smuggling in aid through Venezuela's porous land borders, along routes long used to transport contraband products and fuel. Opposition activists have said they have already joined forces with the Pemones indigenous community in eastern Venezuela to bring in supplies by river, using their canoes.
Mr Guaidó said on Sunday he would build an international coalition to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuelans.
On Monday, those countries and and several other European nations officially recognised Mr Guaidó as interim president.
President Trump has told US broadcaster CBSthe use of military force remains "an option".
There are severe shortages of basic items such as medicine and food, and an estimated three million people have fled the country.
The annual inflation rate reached 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018, according to a study by the National Assembly.
Guaido is also supported by the United States and most South American nations.
The humanitarian crisis is now so bad that previously eradicated diseases like diphtheria and measles have returned, while the healthcare system, like the economy, is in a state of complete collapse. Maduro's regime denies the crisis and refuses to accept most international aid, although the United States now says it will be sending aid at Guaidó's request.
I drive around between these areas on the back of a motorbike to sense the mood. You can drive for hours in Caracas and only see the sadness of slums: piles of burning garbage, mangy mutts, long queues in front of half empty shops. We drive through red lights to avoid being mugged.
A woman from the poor neighbourhood of San Juan admits she is here because she received a threat: show up or lose the CLAP – the term for the boxes of food the government distributes free of charge to the country's poorest people
The Venezuelan opposition and its international allies are preparing convoys of humanitarian aid for delivery into the crisis wracked country as early as this week, potentially sparking a border confrontation with forces loyal to President Nicolás Maduro.
In Venezuela, as many as 300,000 people are in mortal danger for lack of basic medicines.
Mr Maduro, who has the backing of a number of countries including China and Russia, earlier warned that the country's deepening political crisis could spark civil war.
At least 17 EU countries have officially recognised Mr Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela.
The Venezuelan president also retains the crucial support of the army.
International clamour for snap elections in Venezuela intensified yesterday as European powers recognised opposition chief Juan Guaido as interim leader, after President Nicolas Maduro rejected an ultimatum to call early voting.
Guaido is trying to force from power the socialist leader   labelled a dictator by the West and his Latin American neighbours after presiding over Venezuela's economic collapse   aiming to set up a transitional government and hold new presidential elections.
The US and other countries have already pledged humanitarian aid for Guaido's administration, though it remains to be seen where and how it can enter the country without the military's support.
France, Germany, Britain, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg also recognized Guaido. Ten EU countries have yet to announce their position.
Maduro has rejected all offers of aid, dismissing it as the thin edge of a wedge of US military involvement.
Forty people were killed in clashes with security forces in a week of protests coinciding with Guaido's self proclamation as acting leader, according to the United Nations.
It said Venezuela now has its “largest number of political prisoners' in 18 years, including 82 members of the armed forces.
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement said Monday that they cannot participate in the distribution of international humanitarian aid to Venezuela from Colombia if there is no prior agreement with those organizations.
The Lima Group of Latin American countries and Canada called Monday for a peaceful change in government in Venezuela, without military intervention.
At a closing press conference, host Chrystia Freeland, Canada's foreign minister, said 34 countries have so far recognized Guaido as Venezuela's interim leader until new elections are held.
Pressed about possible military intervention in Venezuela, Freeland was unequivocal    it is not an option.
Earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Can$53 million  ( $40 million US )  in humanitarian aid for Venezuelans amid the deepening crisis.
"They are going to hijack it to distribute it through the CLAP," he alleged, referring to the socialist government's program to distribute subsidized food boxes to its supporters.
She pressed the entire international community to join them, and to also freeze the assets ofPresidentNicolas Maduro's "dictatorial regime." Those monies should be placed in the hands of the transition government, she said.
Guaido has accused the military   controlled byPresidentNicolas Maduro  of planning to divert international humanitarian aid headed for the crisis torn country.
The Lima Group of Latin American countries and Canada called yesterday for a peaceful change in government in Venezuela, without military intervention.
International clamor for snap elections in Venezuela intensified Monday as European powers recognized opposition chief Juan Guaido as interim leader, after Nicolas Maduro rejected an ultimatum to call new polls.
But key Maduro ally Russia slammed European "interference" in the oil rich but impoverished Latin American country, saying it was an attempt "to legitimize usurped power."
The opposition leader says up to 300,000 people are "at risk of death" from malnutrition and illness after years of shortages of basic food and medicines.
Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro has closed the border with Brazil amid a row over humanitarian aid.
The border crossing with Brazil remained closed on Friday morning but local G1 website reported thata group of Venezuelans managed to crossfrom the Brazilian city of Pacaraima on foot using an unofficial route.
Most of the bloc last week urged Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down, and make way for elections to deal with an economic collapse that has sent Venezuelans flooding into neighboring countries.
La investigadora señaló que entre datos que fueron actualizados se tienen los relacionados con la educación, encontrándose que“solo la mitad de los niños escolarizados acuden con regularidad. Las razones son que 28% por falta de agua, 22% por falta de comida, 17% por falta de transporte'.
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro flatly rejected Sunday  ( Monday in Manila )  a call by European countries to call snap elections after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself the Latin American country's interim leader.
Guaido, already recognized by the United States, Canada, Australia and several Latin American countries, said Sunday he would lobby the EU for badly needed humanitarian aid to a nation wracked by economic crisis.
In Washington, US President Donald Trump warned that military intervention remains “an option' for dealing with the crisis in oil rich but impoverished Venezuela.
Earlier Sunday, Maduro addressed troops on military exercises in Venezuela's coastal northeast, calling on them for “maximum cohesion' a day after a top Air Force general publicly sided with Guaido.
The Canadian government has denied both Russian and alternative media outlets access to a meeting in Ottawa, during which Latin American ministers will plot their further response to Venezuela's ongoing crisis.
In another development, the UN refugee agency,UNHCR, announced on Friday that it has opened a reception centre in Colombia for the most vulnerable Venezuelans crossing the border.
And he called on Guaido for “face to face' talks, which the younger man has already rejected.
“A significant number of Venezuelans in Maicao are living on the streets or in informal settlements and 81 per cent of those interviewed, said that they required shelter,' Mr. Mahecic said.
This year, the UN agency is appealing for more than $730 million to help more than nearly three million Venezuelans and host communities in 16 countries.
Tens of thousands of people have been protesting Maduro over the past month. Maduro has presided over one of the worst economic crises, leading to hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing Venezuela.
Guaido told supporters Saturday that he'll keep his opposition movement in the streets until Maduro agrees to a presidential election overseen by international observers. He also called for soldiers to abandon Maduro and back him.
Venezuela is going through its fifth year of economic recession and hyperinflation. This situation has caused a collapse of health and education services, scarcity of food and medicines, violence and insecurity. Malnutrition rates among children are at critical levels in certain regions.
El primer envío de ayuda humanitaria a Venezuela, impulsado por el presidente interino, Juan Guaidó, con la ayuda de Estados Unidos y Colombia, pretende medir la fidelidad de los militares con Nicolás Maduro y ahondar en la presión para quebrar la cohesión en la cúpula chavista, hasta ahora infranqueable para la oposición.
Thereportalso predicts that, if the situation does not change in Venezuela, by the year 2020 between 7.5 and 8.2 million Venezuelans could be part of the forced migration.
La Asamblea Nacional anunció este domingo la inminente llegada de la ayuda con el apoyo de la Administración de Donald Trump y el Ejecutivo colombiano de Iván Duque. Tras pasar este lunes por Bogotá, será almacenada en un centro de acopio de la ciudad fronteriza de Cúcuta,principal vía de entrada de los venezolanos que migran a Colombiaen busca de oportunidades. Una vez allí, previsiblemente entre mañana martes y el miércoles, se producirá el primer intento de abrir un canal humanitario. El diputado opositor José Manuel Olivares adelantó que "en pocas horas" ya estará coordinando la recepción de esa ayuda con USAID, la agencia de cooperación estadounidense, y las autoridades del país vecino.
Lines at fuel stations extended for blocks as drivers queued for gasoline and busses waited to fill up with diesel. Families stood under the sun to buy potable water, which is unavailable for most residents whose homes do not have power.
Angry residents of the Caracas neighborhood of Chacao on Sunday set up barricades along a main avenue and on side streets to protest the continued blackout.
El objetivo es forzar que se rompa la cohesión entre los uniformados. Los críticos con Maduro sostienen que gran parte de los mandos medios militares no secundan al líder venezolano, pero que el miedo a represalias ha impedido cualquier ruptura en masa. En el caso de la cúpula militar, la unidad es, hasta el momento, absoluta en torno a la figura de Maduro.
One supermarket in southeastern Caracas was looted on Sunday evening, triggering a shootout with police and National Guard troops, according to Reuters witnesses and an employee who was present. The looters took food including pasta, rice and tomato sauce.
Inside Venezuela, inflation is expected to keep spiralling, leading living conditions, increased food and medicine shortages, more deaths caused by the failure of the health system, and paralysis of commerce, and education.
There is a risk that internal tensions and growing pressure from international stakeholders could lead to armed confrontation, and growing discontent amongst the population that is increasingly likely to trigger large scale civil unrest.
There is no indication that the influx of Venezuelans will slow down in the near future, and the number of refugees from Venezuela is expected to reach 5.3 million by the end of 2019. Neighbouring countries' capacities and basic services are likely to be further strained.
Estados Unidos ha puesto en marcha una gran operación, coordinada con Colombia y Brasil, los aliados más beligerantes del presidente interino, para que la ayuda llegue cuanto antes, aunque aún no han especificado los puntos por los que tratarán de hacerla llegar ni la forma, cómo la entregarán ni a quién.
Protests in reaction to the socioeconomic situation persisted throughout the rest of 2018, while the opposition, despite experiencing strong internal divisions, intensified its calls for a transitional government. Neighbouring countries and international powers also called for a negotiated transition of power to find a way out of the crisis  ( Crisis Group 23/11/2018 ) 1.
“La ONU ha decidido no participar en ninguna de las iniciativas internacionales para mediar en la crisis de Venezuela' aseguró este lunes António Guterres ante la prensa en la sede de las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York.
La semana pasada, los Gobiernos de Uruguay y México le presentaron a Guterres una iniciativa de diálogo que incluye una conferencia internacional convocada para el 7 de febrero en Montevideo, donde reunirán a países y organizaciones que sean partidarios de la negociación entre los que se encuentran Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador y ocho miembros de la Unión Europea. Juan Guaidó y la oposición venezolanahan rechazado esta propuesta.
Por otro lado, este lunes en Ginebra la oficina de Derechos Humanos de la ONU aseguró que no ha recibido información de detenciones, heridos o fallecidos en las manifestaciones de este fin de semana en Venezuela.
La constelación de países americanos que reclaman la marcha deNicolás Maduroy reconocen aJuan Guaidócomo presidente deVenezuelaelevó este lunes, en la reunión del Grupo de Lima en Ottawa  ( Canadá ) , la presión sobre el líder chavista, al poner todo el foco en la ayuda humanitaria  que este trata de bloquear  y señalarlo como responsable de cualquier intervención militar.
Health staff: The health sector is further impacted by low salaries and the absence of medical staff. 55% of medical personnel in the country have reportedly resigned from their jobs and/or migrated outside the country  ( CHE Health 09/2018, National Assembly Venezuela, Médicos por la Salud 2018 ) .
The International Contact Group meeting in Montevideo said it was committed to finding a "peaceful, democratic" way out of the power struggle between Maduro and opposition rival Juan Guaido "without the use of force."
Al mismo tiempo, la oposición y los países que la apoyan tratan de evitar a toda costa que la crisis se acabe resolviendo a través de una intervención militar, una opción que la Casa Blanca sigue sin descartar pero que suscitaría mucho menos apoyo internacional.
The UN has warned against politicising humanitarian assistance to hungry and sick Venezuelans after the country's armed forces set up roadblocks at border points with Colombia, where food and medicine was expected to enter the crisis ridden country.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday, February 3, rejected a call by European countries to organize elections after his rival Juan Guaido declared himself the country's interim leader.
International aid groups, meanwhile, want to help more but are wary of getting caught up in a political row. Supporting one side or the other could, they fear, muddy fundamental humanitarian principles of neutrality.
Guaido, already recognized by the United States, Canada, Australia and several Latin American countries, said Sunday he would lobby the European Union for badly needed humanitarian aid to a nation wracked by economic crisis.
Aristeguieta Alvarez:Aid has been sent to Venezuela for some time from different countries. Individuals and associations have been doing so. People return to Venezuela with suitcases filled with food to distribute to their families and to give to NGOs in the poorest areas. Courier deliveries are also bringing food to Venezuela. This has been going on for two, three years now. But along the border between Venezuela and Colombia that is over 2,000 kilometres long, you get people entering informally, who move back and forth.
Pressed about the possibility of military intervention, she cited the commitment in the Lima Group's communique calling for a peaceful transition “without the use of force.' The Trump administration maintains that all options remain on the table.
Guaido's envoy to Canada, Orlando Viera Blanco, praised the group's focus on providing aid to Venezuela, including such basics as food and medicine. Trudeau said at the start of the meeting that Canada would provide C$53 million  ( $40 million )  in humanitarian funding. The bulk of the funds will go to “trusted partners and neighboring countries,' he said
Failing public services including water, electricity and transport are among Venezuela's worst problems, while there is also a shortage of doctors and medical supplies in hospitals.
Gregory Weeks, a political scientist at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte, said aid pledges “are clearly pledges of support for Guaido' but noted that funds and supplies sent to neighboring countries or through multilateral agencies might be preferable. “If it gets sent to Venezuela directly, as the U.S. is planning, then the chance for confrontation is high,' Weeks said in a phone interview. “This is risky for any country that attempts it.'
Britain, France and Spain were among 16 EU nations to side with Guaido, following in the footsteps of key regional powers and the United States, which has refused to rule out a military intervention in the crisis wracked country.
La Cruz Roja esta lista para apoyar la distribución de la ayuda humanitaria, si así se le solicita, dijo este viernes en conferencia de prensa, el presidente de la Federación Internacional de Sociedades de laCruz Rojay de la MediaLuna Roja,Francesco Rocca, quien insistió en su intervención que este es un tema que debe mantenerse al margen de la diatriba política.
But key Maduro ally Russia slammed European "interference" in the oil rich but impoverished Latin American country, saying it was an attempt to "legitimize usurped power."
"En la historia, nosotros vamos a cumplir 154 años de estar trabajando, nunca hemos trabajado con las Fuerzas Armadas, no es nuestro rol", dijo Rocca a través de una intérprete en una rueda de prensa ofrecida en Caracas junto a las autoridades de la institución en Venezuela.
Despite Guaido's pleas for their support, the armed forces    the country's key power    have remained loyal to Maduro, but the opposition leader has expressed confidence he will win over senior officers after a top air force general publicly sided with him on Saturday.
Un cargamento de medicinas y alimentos enviados por Washington llegó el jueves a la ciudad fronteriza de Cúcuta  ( Colombia ) , donde fue instalado un centro de acopio cerca del puente internacional Tienditas, bloqueado por los militares venezolanos con dos contenedores y una cisterna.
Guiadó convocó a dos movilizaciones, una el 12 de febrero y otra por definir, para exigir a los militares que no bloqueen la ayuda. “Están en un dilema: o se ponen al lado del pueblo necesitado o de la dictadura', reiteró.
An El Nino episode of weak intensity was confirmed in early 2019, and is likely to result in low levels in the hydroelectric dams. The impact is likely to be felt as early as March 2019  ( IFRC 01/02/2019 ) .
Eurasia warned that US oil sanctions are "set to have a broad impact" with the government facing "the prospect of running out of gasoline, which could serve as another social catalyst."
Colectivos have been allowed to act with impunity in exchange for their support in repressing anti government protests, and have been involved in criminal activities such as kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking  ( InSight Crime 18/03/2019 ) .
La Oficina de Coordinación Humanitaria explicó que las agencias de la ONU aumentaron en noviembre pasado la asistencia dentro de Venezuela, pero no cuentan con la financiación necesaria. El plan de emergencia requiere 109,5 millones de dólares, pero hasta el momentosolo han recibido 49,1 millones, dijo el portavoz Jen Laerke.
Already recognised by the United States, Canada, Australia and several Latin American countries, Guaido is trying to force the socialist leader from power so he can set up a transitional government and hold new elections.
ElPrograma Mundial de Alimentostiene ya dispuesta comida en la frontera con Colombia y espera obtener autorización para entrar en el país. El portavoz explicó que han enviado diez especialistas a la región para preparar el trabajo y que acercar los alimentos a la frontera es el procedimiento habitual que se sigue, por ejemplo, en países como Siria y Yemen.
Under Maduro's stewardship, oil dependent Venezuela has lurched into an economic crisis that has left the country suffering from hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine.
The overall number of people in need inside Venezuela and the scale of humanitarian needs is unknown. There is a lack of data on specific sectoral needs of people in need inside Venezuela.
LaOrganización Panamericana de la Saludha seguido cooperando con el Ministerio de Salud para evitar la propagación de enfermedades y, en 2018, repartió unas 50 toneladas de medicinas y equipamiento médico.
Earlier Sunday, Maduro addressed troops on military exercises in Venezuela's coastal northeast, calling on them for ‘maximum cohesion' a day after a top Air Force general publicly sided with Guaido.
During the protest, Guaido announced the installation of collection centres for medicine and food    items lacking in Venezuela    in neighbouring Colombia and Brazil.
Guaido has called for a new demonstration on February 12, and another protest to push for the entry of aid.
Guaido called Wednesday on the conscience ofVenezuela's military   which has so far been loyal to the government    to permit aid into the country from Colombia, which is run by a right wing government critical of Maduro.
Venezuelan migrants gathered at Cucuta on the Colombian side of the border to see if they could receive some of the aid arriving at the border and being stockpiled in nearby warehouses.
After years of turmoil,Venezuela's political crisis escalated to a new level last week as the head of the opposition controlled National Assembly,Juan Guaido, declared himself interim president.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has been working in Venezuela for many years, focusing on meeting the humanitarian needs in the country. We are present on the ground, close to the Venezuelan people and working independently and in support of the Venezuelan Red Cross.
Alexandra Boivin, ICRC delegation head for the United States and Canada, said the ICRC had told U.S. officials that whatever plans “they have to help the people of Venezuela, it has to be shielded from this political conversation.'
Stillhart said that the ICRC currently brings in its own medical supplies and emergency trauma care to support six hospitals located across the country.
Maduro has refused the aid, disavowing any humanitarian crisis and saying Venezuela is not a country of beggars. He's offered to try to resolve the political impasse in a dialogue with opposition leaders, which critics call a stalling tactic that has failed to lead to any changes.
He has called for another street protest on Tuesday to keep up the pressure on Maduro, who is backed by China, Russia, Turkey and leftist regional allies Cuba and Bolivia.
Additional aid is being stored in Miami and Houston and “ready to be deployed to the region immediately,' the U.S. said in a statement.
If the upward trend continues, 5.3 million inhabitants will have left Venezuela by the end of December 2019   that's one in six people.
Neighbours Colombia and Peru have welcomed respectively 1 million and 0.5 million Venezuelans. Ecuador  ( 220,000 refugees )  and Argentina  ( 130,000 refugees )  are also among the most popular destinations, while Brazil, which shares a border with Venezuela, took in 85,000 refugees.
Maduro rejected the convoy, labelling it a “political show' and vowed to remain in office despite a wave of countries denouncing his leadership and recognising National Assembly chief, Juan Guaido, as the country's interim president.
“For the last year and a half, what we are seeing is the people who are coming are the poorest of the poor in Venezuela.'   Maria Paula Martinez, director, Save the Children Colombia Between the bridges, young men wait in groups, advertising to any slowing vehicle or passerby their services to help people cross the “trochas,' or informal river paths which people must now use to move across the border.
Before, Venezuelans who crossed the border to work   known as “pendulares'   could earn money on the Colombian side, she said, and then return to Venezuela where rent is cheaper. But now crossing the border costs money both ways.
It is Trump who has managed to unite the countries of the region and the world with one voice against the dictatorship in Venezuela. He was the one who issued sanctions that have hampered the Maduro regime's finances. And it was during his administration that Tareck El Aissami and Diosdado Cabello were categorized as drug traffickers and terrorists.
Venezuela's opposition says it is preparing to deliver tens of millions of dollars in food and medicine to ease devastating shortages and undermine the authoritarian rule of Nicolás Maduro. But some major relief organizations are reluctant to cooperate, fearing the plan could turn humanitarian aid into a political weapon.
Getting the aid into Venezuela, past Mr. Maduro's security forces and into the right hands will be a critical test of the opposition's ability to rally the nation and establish an interim government.
Last December two Russian Tu 160 long range bombers touched down in Caracas prompting a war of words between Washington and Moscow. There have been joint military exercises too.
The International Committee of the Red Cross and its local affiliate in Colombia said in a statement that they would not participate in the delivery effort for the time being, citing the group's “fundamental principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence.'
Similarly, the Venezuelan branch of Caritas, the humanitarian arm of the Catholic Church, has also said it is not ready to commit. Humanitarian aid, the group said, should not be deployed to “serve political interests, but solely to benefit the most vulnerable people.'
The two planes with Russian flags and a group of men in military uniform were photographed at the airport.
On Sunday,the front page of one pro Maduro tabloid, Últimas Noticias, fuelled opposition fears that Guaidó could face arrest. “Guaidó brought in assassins to commit acts of terror,' it said.
But opposition leaders also hope the aid drive will put Mr. Maduro in a political bind. If border guards refuse to let aid trucks in from Colombia, many Venezuelans and world leaders will blame Mr. Maduro for deliberately worsening a humanitarian crisis that has already led to widespread hunger, illness and an exodus of millions of people.
There is little question that the country needs help. Years of rampant corruption, a badly mishandled economy, poorly managed price controls and deep problems at the state oil company   a major source of the nation's hard currency   have taken a huge toll on the Venezuelan people.
The coordinated movement of European countries comes after the expiration of eight days that the European Union gave Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to call a new presidential election.
Russia and China, which have invested billions of dollars in Venezuela, are supporting Maduro. Moscow accused the EU countries of meddling in Venezuela's affairs.
Venezuelan military officers blocked a bridge on the border with Colombia ahead of an anticipated humanitarian aid shipment Tuesday, as opposition leader Juan Guaido stepped up his challenge to President Nicolas Maduro's authority.
The second tier effects of the power failures could be profound. In many areas, water service still isn't back to normal, because there isn't enough electricity to run the pumps.
Venezuelan military officers used a tanker truck and huge shipping container to block access to the Tienditas bridge, which links Cucuta, Colombia to Urena, Venezuela.
The next mass demonstration is due for February 12.
Hunger could spur more looting. In the oil capital of Maracaibo, about 500 businesses were ransacked during the blackout.
And with Guaido's announcement that Cucuta will be one of the three supply centers for humanitarian assistance, expectations are growing among the mass of pedestrians crossing this bridge and the other border crossing, the Francisco de Paula Santander International Bridge, which communicates Cucuta with Ureña in Venezuela.
The ICG also recognized the humanitarian crisis that is deepening by the day, affecting millions of Venezuelans. The Group expressed its commitment to mobilize further assistance in areas of need and coordinate its delivery in liaison with the Joint UNHCR/IOM Special Representative, Mr. Eduardo Stein.
Venezuela frequently suffers from power cuts, a lack of running water and public transport, while there is also a shortage of doctors and medical supplies in hospitals.
As the food and hygiene kits were packed into individual white bags in the city of Cucuta, just across the river from Venezuela, U.S. officials and Venezuelan opposition leaders appealed to the military to the let the aid through.
Under Maduro's stewardship, oil rich Venezuela's economy has collapsed leaving the country wracked by hyperinflation, recession and shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine.
The opposition is trying to work out how to get it into the country after it was blocked by the Venezuelan military.
Venezuela's opposition leader recruited volunteers Monday to distribute humanitarian aid as his envoys announced plans for a second hub on the country's borders for tons of supplies of food and medicine from the US and other donors.
Humanitarian aid has emerged as a central challenge to Maduro since Guaido declared him illegitimate and proclaimed himself interim president last month.
"In coming days we will visit the state of Roraima to see where this storage center will be and from next week we will organize the arrival of this humanitarian aid," Lester Toledo, head of Guaido's aid distribution team, told reporters.
Venezuela's opposition plans more marches Tuesday to press the military to let in US humanitarian aid, which President Nicolas Maduro says is the stepping stone to an invasion.
Maduro will counterattack by leading a march of young leftists protesting "imperialist intervention" in the center of Caracas, where the government says it will collect signatures of people who reject US President Donald Trump.
That's the sound of Venezuelan doctors. Yesterday, they were on this bridge connecting Colombia to Venezuela. They are demanding that the Venezuelan military stop the blockade that is preventing U.S. humanitarian aid from getting into the country. The protests come as the power struggle in Venezuela continues between the U.S. backed opposition leader, Juan Guaido, and President Nicolas Maduro.
In just one week, Trump not only recognized Guaidó as president of Venezuela, but blocked Maduro's access to foreign bank accounts, and announced USD $20 million in humanitarian aid. He has also not shied away from posing the possibility of sending military forces to Colombia.
Mr Guaidó does not control any territory in Venezuela so, instead, he is planning to set up collection centres in neighbouring countries to which Venezuelans have fled.
Cases of medicine and white USAID bags stuffed with beans and rice, packaged foods and toiletries piled high near the border, ready to be delivered to the Venezuelan people.
Honduras se sumó a los países que hacen llegar ayudas para el pueblo de Venezuela, luego de Estados Unidos y Puerto Rico. La asistencia humanitaria llegó esta noche al Aeropuerto Camilo Daza de la capital de Norte de Santander, en aviones de la Fuerza Aérea de Honduras.
Spain's contribution will support the implementation and consolidation of IDB's migration related activities such as the design and execution of operations in fields like migrants' registration and documentation; access to quality basic services, including drinking water, sanitation and solid waste management; education, health and other social activities; and employment and economic opportunities.
Since January, the Trump administration, joined by governments in Latin America and Europe, has called for Venezuela's dictator to step down, partly because the country has suffered an immense economic and humanitarian collapse during his rule. The US and others now recognize Guaidó, the leader of the country's opposition controlled legislative body, as Venezuela's rightful leader.
Most economists blame the country's skyrocketing inflation and acute shortages on falling oil prices, gross mismanagement, and the far left policies of Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chávez. But the U.S. sanctions are intensifying the humanitarian crisis.
Because of official secrecy about power production, no one outside the government knows how severe the damage was. But one thing on which experts agree: Poor maintenance, underinvestment and an exodus of qualified technicians have left the system in a parlous state.
Venezuela's most acute issue might be its food shortage. At a fruit and vegetable stand in Caracas, Darwin Peña proudly tends to luscious mounds of tangerines, ripe green mangos, fat red tomatoes and tiny, sweet bananas. But he's worried.
The State Department said in January that sanctions would not target “the innocent people of Venezuela.' The United States has attempted to send humanitarian aid to the country, but Maduro has blocked it, saying it's aimed at undermining him.
Any move against Guaidó could provoke a strong reaction from Washington. Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind efforts to unseat Maduro and the White House has warned of “significant' pushback if Guaidó is arrested or harmed.
Gunson said Maduro's inner circle would now be weighing the pros and cons of imprisoning Guaidó himself. “To lose him would be a really severe blow  [ to the opposition ]  – and both the government and the opposition know that. On the other hand, if Guaidó is put in jail then really the US and its key allies in the hemisphere would be obliged to do something severe.'
Ties between Moscow and Venezuela have strengthened in recent months, amid worsening relations between the US and Venezuela. In December, Russia sent two air force jets there as part of a military exercise.
As a result, many are turning to digital assets such as Bitcoin as an alternative to the Venezuelan bolivar. And given how volatile Bitcoin is   its value has plunged from nearly £15,000 in 2017 to less than £3,000 now   it's an indication of just how desperate people have become.
Globally and to date, more than 408,000 Venezuelans have filed asylum claims   over 248,800 in 2018 alone   while Latin American countries have granted some 1.3 million residence permits and other forms of regular status to Venezuelans. However, many Venezuelans remain in an irregular situation or with an expiring tourist visa which does not guarantee international protection or access to other basic rights.
Tensions have risen since the US first sent humanitarian aid to Colombia, only for the Venezuelan authorities to block a bridge to prevent its entry into Venezuela.
Under his stewardship, oil dependent Venezuela has plunged into an economic crisis, suffering from hyperinflation and shortages of food and medicine.
TheLimaGroup of Latin AmericancountriesandCanadahas called for a peaceful change in government in Venezuela, without military intervention.
Peru'sForeign MinisterNestor Popolizioechoed those comments, saying: "We would not consider the use of force."
VENEZUELA'S SELF DECLARED interim leader Juan Guaido has announced plans to mobilise thousands of volunteers to help bring American aid into the country next week.
They also urgedVenezuela's military to support opposition leaderJuan Guaidoas interim president and "not to impede the entry and transit of humanitarian assistance to Venezuelans."
Guaido has accused the military    controlled by President Nicolas Maduro    of planning to divert international humanitarian aid headed for the crisis torn country.
The Trump administration has announced it is ready to deliver aid to Venezuela whenever and however is decided by Guaido.
“Not only will this be happening at the border where the volunteer movement will be, but in cities up and down the country where there will be demonstrations on 23 February for the aid to come in,' the National Assembly leader told thousands of supporters.
Members of Venezuela's Bolivarian militia demonstrate in support of President Nicolas Maduro during a commemoration for the "27th Anniversary of the Military Rebellion of the 4FEB92 and National Dignity Day", at Bolivar Square in Caracas, on February 4, 2019
The many millions more who have stayed in Venezuela face an acute humanitarian crisis denied by their own government: pervasive hunger, the resurgence of disease, an absence of basic medicines, and, in March, an electrical blackout that led to water shortages and the mass looting of the second city of Maracaibo.
The Venezuelan government largely denies the scale of humanitarian needs and restricts access humanitarian organisations, and blocked the entry of US humanitarian aid in February 2019.
In the beginning of February, tensions at the border escalated when the US and Venezuelan opposition attempted to deliver aid across the borders separating Colombia, Brazil and Venezuela, but were blocked by the Venezuelan security forces. Protests ensued, and were met with force from Venezuelan authorities, causing over 300 injuries
and at least 4 deaths along Venezuela's borders with Colombia and Brazil  ( Caracas Chronicles 24/02/2019, Al Jazeera 25/02/2019, BBC 25/02/2019 ) .
In the beginning of March 2019, Venezuela experienced a major nation wide power and communications outage, impacting scarce food supplies, water pumps, and endangering hospital patients, with some 21 casualties reported. Many schools, public offices, and businesses were closed as a result. The power cut is likely to have been the result of years of mismanagement and obsolescence of the electrical system. Maduro, however, blamed the outage on an ‘electromagnetic attack' from the US. The blackout led to another wave of protests, during which Maduro requested the help of colectivos  ( pro  government armed groups )  to repress  ( InSight Crime 18/03/2019, Al Jazeera 12/03/2019, NPR 11/03/2019, The Guardian 11/03/2019: 13/03/2019 ) .
Migration: Since 2015, the crisis has prompted over 2.7 million people to leave Venezuela, out of which only about 1.4 million have regular status in the countries they fled to. The number of Venezuelans abroad went from 700,000 to over 1,600,000 between 2015 and 2017, and some 1.1 million more fled between 2017 and the beginning of 2019. The reasons for leaving are varied, and include political persecution and shortages of food, medicine, and other essential goods. Many are in need of international protection, and since 2014, 408,500 Venezuelans have applied for asylum, including 248,000 in 2018 alone. In 2014, just over 4,000 Venezuelans applied for asylum  ( UNHCR 03/2019, UNHCR 13/03/2018, IOM 24/04/2018 ) . In 2018, migration outside Venezuela continued, with 5,000 Venezuelans leaving the country on average every day  ( UNHCR 22/02/2019 ) . According to a Gallup survey conducted in 2018, 36% of Venezuelans said they would like to leave Venezuela permanently if they could, including a majority  ( 51% )  of Venezuelans aged 15 to 29  ( Gallup 29/01/2019 ) .
Credible accounts of extrajudicial killings by government security forces have been reported. In impoverished areas where the population largely depends on state  sponsored social programmes, pro Maduro armed groups  ( colectivos )  are particularly active, using fear and repression as a strategy of social control. Poor areas in Caracas and all over the country register the highest number of victims killed in clashes with the authorities  ( Amnesty International 20/02/2019, The Guardian 22/06/2018, Caracas Chronicles 02/02/2018 ) . A panel of experts mandated by the Organisation of American States  ( OAS )  documented some 8,292 extrajudicial killings and 12,000 arbitrary detentions at the hands of the government since 2014  ( R2P 15/03/2019 ) .
Mass protests demanding change in the government took place after Maduro's inauguration in January 2019, including in impoverished neighbourhoods of Caracas that had been historically pro Maduro. From 21 25 January 2019, over 900 arbitrary arrests  ( including 770 on 23 January only )  and 41 deaths from gunshot wounds were reported  ( Amnesty International 20/02/2019, R2P 15/03/2019 ) .
Access to education is also majorly disrupted due to malfunctioning roads and public transportation. At the border with Colombia, many students are crossing the Simon Bolivar bridge every day to attend school. In February 2019, the bridge was blocked by Venezuelan forces to prevent the aid caravan from entering the country and affecting some 4,000 schoolchildren. A ‘humanitarian passage' was opened later on to allow students to come and go. However, the border closure led to the development of informal crossings  ( known as ‘trochas' )  controlled by armed groups from both countries, raising serious protection concerns  ( Al Jazeera 16/03/2019 ) .