nlp-thedeep/humsetbias huggingface dataset:
"I do this because I have to... some days I go back empty handed and we go hungry. It's either this or stealing, and I'm not a bad person. So this is what I do to survive," Anderson said. 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
El diario estadounidense The Wall Street Journal publicó esta semana que se habían producido encuentros en Washington entre diplomáticos chinos y representantes de la oposición venezolana. En estas reuniones, según esa fuente, se había hablado de "períodos de prórroga" para pagar la deuda pero también de aplicar mayor transparencia sobre los acuerdos, un término que no suele caracterizar al régimen chino
Maduro said National Assembly leader Juan Guiado, recognised as interim president by the US and most European Union nations, had been hoping to bring about a military coup but had failed to secure the army's support. "It was madness… they wanted a military coup. But they failed. They were playing that card. But it's over," he told Anelise Borges in an interview at the presidential palace in Caracas.
"It's wrong to make politics out of humanitarian aid," Maduro told Euronews. "And that's what the opposition is doing.' “If you want to help Venezuela, free our accounts, give back the gold that you have stolen... we have the means to help ourselves.'
Two Russian military planes landed in Venezuela's main airport on Saturday, reportedly carrying dozens of troops and large amounts of equipment. The planes were sent to "fulfil technical military contracts", Russia's Sputnik news agency reported. Javier Mayorca, a Venezuelan journalist, wrote on Twitter that he saw about 100 troops and 35 tonnes of equipment offloaded from the planes.
Juan Guaidó, the opposition figurehead now recognized as Venezuela's leader by dozens of governments, announced on Tuesday that caravans of volunteers will take the shipment of food and medicine across the border on 23 February. The move is only likely to provoke the Venezuelan government, which as Guaidó made his announcement, wasparading troops on the same international bridgewhich the opposition has chosen as a staging area.
Mr Mayorca said on Twitter that a Russian air force Antonov 124 cargo plane and a smaller jet landed near Caracas on Saturday. He said that Russian General Vasily Tonkoshkurov led the troops off one of the planes. A military plane with a Russian flag on its fuselage could be seen on the tarmac at an airport on Sunday. Images on social media also appeared to show Russian troops gathered at the airport.
The UK, France, Germany, Spain and other European countries have officially recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela. It comes after President Nicolás Maduro defiantly rejected the EU's Sunday deadline to call snap elections.
In an interview with Spanish television programme Salvados broadcast on Sunday, Mr Maduro was asked if the crisis in Venezuela could result in civil war. "Today no one could answer that question with certainty," he said.
The Czech Republic has joined other European Union nations in recognizing Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela. The Czech center left government approved the move on Monday after it was proposed by Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek. Petricek says the Czechs are coordinating with other EU nations. The Czech Republic joins Germany, Spain, France, Sweden, Austria, Denmark and Britain in recognizing Guaido, arguing that Maduro's re election was illegitimate.
President Nicolas Maduro is again rejecting moves by at least eight European nations recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate president. Germany, Britain and France are among the nations that announced support for Guaido on Monday. The EU nations say Maduro's election was fraudulent and that he ignored their deadline to announce a new round of democratic presidential elections. Maduro was especially harsh on Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a fellow socialist. Maduro said Sanchez would have “blood on his hands' if a coup is carried out against him. In a live address on state television, Maduro said he refuses ultimatums from any country. Maduro also rejected a U.S. backed effort to send emergency food and medicine into his country, saying Venezuela isn't a nation of beggars.
Even while we speak, Guaidó has gained the support of several Western and Latin American countries. Most of the world's democracies are now backing him, while Russia and China – al< ¨ ong with Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Turkey – support Maduro.
The riots began in earnest on 21 January, in Cotiza not far from here. Soldiers from the National Guard robbed an armory and seized a military barracks. When Maduro's forces moved in, the local residents took to the streets. Thrown bottles were met by live rounds, and eventually the rebel soldiers were taken away. But over the next few days, the rebellion in the slums just grew. On 23 January, the sound of shooting continued throughout the night in the José Félix Ribas neighbourhood, says a woman who is afraid to let her name be used. "It was ugly. Pow Pow Pow. It kept going, and garbage containers were set on fire in the middle of the street," she says, adding that she had to take a long detour to get home by bus.
To get an idea just how much Maduro's power is waning, I drive out to the infamous slum of 23 de Enero. It was named after 23 January, 1958 – the day the dictator Marcos Pérez Jiménez was overthrown. It is probably the most famous stronghold of the Chavistas. Here, Hugo Chávez lies buried. Here, the colectivos, motorcycle militias faithful to the government, patrol the streets with long rifles and black Sandoval helmets. And here, also, contingents of Cubans are in charge of medical care, social services and, not least, surveillance. They make lists of anti Maduro protesters. These lists are used by the colectivos when they go door to door to tell Maduro's opponents they are being punished and will no longer receive the free food boxes from the government.
The Chavistas have the power, but have they lost the people? "It has been many years since a majority of us actually supported them. Now, we just pretend," says 60 year old José Ochoa, who is wearing a net undershirt and has a tribal tattoo, and a grandson on his arm. He is a secretary in one of the local Chavista councils and works in the Ministry of Education; on paper, at least, a true Chavista. But this loyalty is now a mirage. He claims that 40 of the 52 council members, like him, simply fake loyalty to ensure benefits for themselves and their loved ones. Nothing new, perhaps. But it is new and surprising that many are now so angry that they are happy to be quoted. Before, they used to sneak into neighbouring opposition areas to demonstrate. Now, they're ready to do it right here, in the Chavista stronghold where they live.
A group of Latin American countries and Canada has urged the Venezuelan military to support opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president. In a statement, 11 of the 14 members of the Lima Group called for a change of power without the use of force and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.
The group issued a 17 point declaration,following a meeting in the Canadian capital, Ottawa. The document says the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru "reiterate their recognition and support for Juan Guaidó" as interim president of Venezuela. The 11 group members also urged the world community "to take measures to prevent the Maduro regime from conducting financial and trade transactions abroad, from having access to Venezuela's international assets and from doing business in oil, gold and other assets".
Earlier, CanadianPrime MinisterJustin Trudeaupledged USD 40 million in humanitarian aid for Venezuelans amid the deepening crisis. The bulk of the funds is set to go to "trusted partners" and neighbouring countries to help them support three million refugees that have fled Venezuela, he said.
The young lawmaker accused the military of planning to divert aid being stockpiled in Colombia, Brazil and an unidentified Caribbean island, in order to distribute it through the socialist government's subsidized food program for supporters. Guaido appealed to the military's "conscience" to let the aid reach those most in need.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday pledged Can$53 million  ( US$40 million )  in humanitarian aid for Venezuelans amid a deepening crisis. "Today, Canada is stepping up and announcing $53 million to address the most pressing needs of Venezuelans on the ground, including almost 3 million refugees," Trudeau told a gathering of the Lima Group of nations. "The bulk of the funds will go to trusted partners, and neighbouring countries to help them support Venezuela and Venezuelans," he said.
“They are trying to corner us with ultimatums to force us into an extreme situation of confrontation,' Maduro said. However, he supported plans for a meeting of Latin American and EU states in a “Contact Group' meeting in Montevideo next Thursday as it could lead to a “dialogue among Venezuelans to resolve our issues.'
As chronicled by much of our reporting collected below, some three to four million people have escaped the economic meltdown since 2015 and tried to start afresh in countries like Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. This exodus has placed enormous pressure on the region; several governments have started making it tougher for migrants to enter and find jobs.
To pave the way for a possible foreign intervention that hastens the exit of Maduro and the recovery of democracy in the country, the National Assembly of Venezuela has approved for the first time the statute that governs “the transition to democracy.' Among the most relevant points is that the provisional government may request the help of the international community in order to restore state sovereignty in the territory of the Republic of Venezuela, with the authorization of the National Assembly. This would give the “green light' to a foreign intervention.
De esta manera, el Secretario General, que ha asegurado estar contacto con los protagonistas de “todas' las iniciativas internacionales, ha preferido “no ser parte de ninguno de estos grupos para dar credibilidad' a su oferta de buenos oficiospara que, si las partes lo requieren, “poder ayudar a buscar una solución política a la crisis'.
The Venezuelan army has so far not heeded calls by the opposition to side with Guaido and to let the aid through. Venezuela used a tanker lorry and two containers to block a bridge crossing its border with Colombia, according to US officials and Colombian media reports. The bridge near the Colombian city of Cucuta is due to be used for aid deliveries. The first trucks carrying aid were expected in Cucuta on Thursday afternoon, according to the Foreign Ministry in Bogota.
Health infrastructure: According to the Encuentra Nacional de Hospital conducted between 1 – 10 March 2018 and surveying some 40 hospitals across Venezuela, the heath system continues to deteriorate. Service provision has been affected by the closure of health facilities, deterioration of infrastructure, shortages of medicines, and protests 2 from medical staff. Almost 70% of hospitals reported intermittent power outage and lack of safe drinking water. 79% of public hospitals lack regular water supply in 2018, including 25% that reported receiving no water at all  ( National Assembly Venezuela, Médicos por la Salud 2018, CHE Health 09/2018 ) . Shortages of medicines and health supplies: Shortages of medicines and health supplies have been widely reported. 95% of medical supplies and equipment are imported, and when imports fell by 70% between 2012 and 2017, the medical sector was heavily affected. In 2018, health facilities reported lacking on average about 50% of medical supplies required  ( CHE Health 09/2018, National Assembly Venezuela, Médicos por la Salud 2018 ) . Shortages of medicine have led to the emergence of a black market, raising safety concerns over the quality and appropriateness of medicines sold to people who cannot afford them in the legal way  ( Financial Times 08/02/2019 ) .
US Admiral Craig Faller, who heads the US military's southern command, said Venezuela's soldiers were still loyal to Maduro, despite their hardship. "The rank and file are starving, just like their population," Faller told a Senate committee.
In Moscow, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Washington of violating the UN charter on the non use of force by repeatedly threatening Maduro. She described sending humanitarian aid to Venezuela as "the pinnacle of cynicism". "On the one hand, sanctions are imposed to block the Venezuelan economy, and on the other hand, humanitarian aid is proposed," she said.
Justin Trudeau brought together Venezuela's neighbors to voice support for a peaceful handover of power, making a modest pledge of humanitarian aid for the country and those who've fled economic crisis under the regime of Nicolas Maduro. The Canadian prime minister hosted the Lima Group, which includes Brazil, Colombia and other Latin American nations, Monday in Ottawa. The group recognized Juan Guaido as interim president and welcomed his Venezuelan government in waiting into its ranks as Maduro digs in against international pressure spearheaded by U.S. President Donald Trump.
And he said a first attempt to bring in the aid should be made next week. "The first stage is containing the sanitation emergency. Two days ago eight children under three lost their lives ... dehydrated, malnourished," said Guaido.
Almost all  ( 95% )  of schools exhibit some degree of deterioration, either WASH related  ( at least 4,000 schools experience water shortages ranging from 7 days to 3 months )  or ACAPS Briefing Note: Venezuela electricity shortages. Due to the lack of functioning hygiene facilities in schools, proliferation of chronic illnesses has been reported, and malnutrition rates are aggravated by school food programmes provisions have deteriorated in quality and quantity. The quality of education has also been affected, with schools lacking material, support for teachers, functioning library, and services for children with special needs having been interrupted for the most part  ( CHE Education 11/2018 ) .
And he still has faith that the military can be won over, appealing to their sense of humanity. "The armed forces have a huge dilemma, whether or not to accept the aid. It would be almost miserable at this point of huge necessity not to accept it," he said. "Inhibiting the entry of this aid could be seen as a crime against humanity." Guaido said the military has to decide whether to "take the side of the constitution" or to "continue on the side of an increasingly isolated dictator."
After announcing the Spanish government´s official recognition of Guaido, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the 35 year old National Assembly head to "call elections as soon as possible, elections that have to be free and democratic". Sanchez added he wanted to spearhead a plan of humanitarian aid for Venezuela in the European Union and United Nations.
"Today, Canada is stepping up and announcing $53 million to address the most pressing needs of Venezuelans on the ground, including almost 3 million refugees," Trudeau told a gathering of the Lima Group of nations. "The bulk of the funds will go to trusted partners, and neighboring countries to help them support Venezuela and Venezuelans," he said.
El presidente de la Cruz Roja Internacional  ( IFRC ) , Francesco Rocca, alertó este viernes de que no conoce el contenido de la ayuda humanitaria que se acopia en la ciudad colombiana de Cúcuta para ser entregada en Venezuela, y que la institución "nunca" ha trabajado junto a militares. "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, mediante una intérprete, en una rueda de prensa ofrecida en Caracas junto a las autoridades de la institución en Venezuela.
Las Naciones Unidas han pedido este viernes que toda la ayuda posible llegue a los venezolanos. El portavoz de la organización en Ginebra explicaba que lo importante es que la ayudallegue hasta los venezolanos que la necesitan. “Es muy simple. Queremos que los venezolanos tengan toda la ayuda posible. Yesperamos que las fuerzas que tienen que estar involucradas permitan que entre. Ese es el mensaje básico: la ayuda humanitaria tiene que llegar a la gente que la necesita', dijo Rhéal LeBlanc en la rueda de prensa en Ginebra.
High levels of criminal violence have been reported across the country. In 2018, the Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia reported 10,422 homicides and 7,523 people 5 having died from police and military violence. While this is a decrease from the 2017 homicide numbers  ( 16,026 ) , the number of victims of police and military brutality have increased from the 5,535 casualties in 2017  ( Observatorio Venezolano de Violencia 27/12/2018, 05/01/2018 ) .
Guaido has called for a new demonstration on Feb 12 and another protest to push for the entry of aid.
Outlook for key drivers Hyperinflation, persisting economic deterioration, and collapse of services inside Venezuela Venezuela's economy keeps spiralling and its economic capacities are expected to deteriorate further, with the IMF predicting inflation to reach 10,000,000% by the end of 2019  ( IMF 10/2018 ) . The consequences of oil sanctions imposed on Venezuela will soon be felt by the population, especially the poorest households  ( Crisis Group 04/03/2019, The Independent 26/01/2019 ) .
El portavoz de la OMS, Tarik Jasarevic, informó de que los casos desarampiónentre niños parecen estar disminuyendo, tras un brote que desde julio de 2017 ha afectado a 6395 personas, con76 fallecimientos.Más de 8 millones de niños han sido vacunados, lo que supone una cobertura del 95%. Por el contrario, hanaumentado las muertes por el brote de difteriasurgido en julio de 2016, ya que, tras las 17 registradas ese año, hubo 103 en 2017 y150 en 2018. Casi cinco millones de niños han recibido vacunas contra esta enfermedad.
El asesor de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos, John Bolton, aseguró que seestaban preparando suministros esencialespara ser enviados a la nación sudamericana. Guaidó no controla ninguna parte del territorio venezolano, por lo que está planeandoestablecer centros de recolección de alimentos y medicinasen Colombia y Brasil, donde han emigrado miles de venezolanos.
After declaring himself interim president on January 23, Guaido, with the backing of the US, laid out his broad plan for Venezuela. His plan focuses on the opposition's strategy for the economy and oil resources, and examines public services, security, governability and society.
It was not immediately clear how the humanitarian aid would be delivered across the border. The Venezuelan military had earlier placed cargo containers and a tanker lorry across the Tienditas bridge, which connects Cúcuta and the city of Ureña in Venezuela.
For normal Venezuelans, everyday life has become increasingly difficult. One of the biggest challenges people face is hyperinflation. Accordingto a studyreleased by the National Assembly, by the end of 2018, prices were doubling every 19 days on average. "In Venezuela, you work a whole month and you cannot afford the basic food that Venezuelans include in their diet," Yasbek said. "In the stores, shelves are empty, and the social programmes are not being able to relieve the stress of not finding the basic things."
Diseases: The dysfunctions of the health system have led to the resurgence of diseases that used to be eradicated, such as malaria, which saw a 205% increase across the country in recent years  ( Financial Times 08/02/2019 ) . Between 2017 and 2018, 2,500 deaths of people requiring dialysis for kidney deficiencies have been attributed to deficiencies of the health system  ( IACHR 09/01/2019 ) . 6,400 cases of measles including 76 deaths  ( CFR 1.2% )  have been recorded between mid 2017 and the end of 2018. 2,400 cases of dengue fever were reported in 2018 alone, and 150 people have died of diphtheria since July 2016, the case fatality rate having increased from 6% in 2017 to 20% at the beginning of 2019  ( USAID 01/03/2019 ) . It is particularly challenging for HIV patients to find antiretroviral drugs, and an estimated 79,000 people have stopped getting treatment since 2017. Exact numbers are currently unknown, but over 5,000 HIV patients have died in 2018 alone, a significant increase from the 1,800 deaths recorded in 2014  ( Caracas Chronicles 21/02/2019, IACHR 09/01/2019 ) . Mental health policies have historically been neglected in Venezuela, and people with mental health conditions  ( schizophrenia, dementia, depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety, attentional deficit, intellectual disability, autism, etc. )  are heavily impacted by the collapse of the health system: the number of people in psychiatric institutions has reduced from 23,000 to 3,500  ( CHE Health 09/2018 ) . The social and economic stresses caused by the current crisis are certain to aggravate mental health issues.
Food security and livelihoods: Since 2017, national food production has reduced by over 60%, and imports dropped by over 70%, leading to significant shortages of food and alarming levels of food insecurity across the country ( CHE Health 09/2018, Provea 2017 ) . Food is distributed by the government following Maduro's ‘Plan de la Patria', initially established by Hugo Chávez. The plan aims at strengthening food production and distribution of food boxes through the CLAP  ( Comités Locales de Abastecimiento y Producción ) . Distribution, however, is conditioned by ownership of a ‘fatherland card', introduced by Maduro as an instrument to control who has access to social programmes and oversee who has voted  ( Los Angeles Times 05/02/2019, Provea 2017, El Coorperante 21/01/2017 ) . The CLAP distribution is highly irregular, and often the content of the boxes does not cover basic food needs  ( Reuters 25/01/2019 ) .
Dozens of volunteers prepared sacks of rice, canned tuna and protein rich biscuits for malnourished children at a warehouse on the Colombian border on Friday as Venezuela's opposition vowed to deliver the U.S. humanitarian aid to their troubled nation, even if it means mounting a mass mobilization of their countrymen to carry it in. 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.
The Geneva based organization is currently in talks with the Venezuelan Ministry of Health to expand its budget in the South American country to at least $20 million. The expanded budget would provide increased support to high risk areas on the Venezuela Colombia border and address a recent resurgence of malaria in the state of Bolivar, along the southern border with Brazil.
Lack of data on internal displacement. Lack of geographical breakdown of humanitarian needs within Venezuela. Lack of health data due to the dysfunction of health capabilities and epidemiological surveillance systems at the national level. • The Venezuelan government stopped releasing official information about education in 2015.
En medio de lacrisis en Venezuela, elParlamento Europeoreconoció aJuan Guaidócomo "legítimo presidente interino" de la República bolivariana. Ello se suma al ultimátum que laUnión Europeale dio aNicolás Maduropara convocar a nuevas elecciones democráticas en dicho país y que concluye este domingo 3 de febrero.
Russia has also vocally opposed moves from the US to impose sanctions on the government of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, urging Moscow to "cease its unconstructive behaviour" in Venezuela. "The secretary told Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov that the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela," the state department said.
Two Russian aircraft carrying military officials arrived in Venezuela over the weekend as part of the ongoing military cooperation between the two countries, Russian media has reported. A diplomatic source told RIA Novosti that Russia and Venezuela have a number of ongoing contracts signed a few years ago, including ones in technical military cooperation, and the military personnel arrived to take part in bilateral consultations.
The struggle between Maduro and his challenger, Juan Guaidó, escalated dramatically last week withthe detention of Guaidó's right hand man, Roberto Marrero. Marrero, a 49 year old lawyer, was accused of helping to run an anti Maduro “terror cell' that was plotting a series of political assassinations and attacks designed to force Hugo Chávez's successor from power.
Some of that equipment can be repaired. The problem, analysts say, is that the country could suffer another outage at any moment. “We are at a point of total collapse,' said Julio Molina, head of the electrical engineering faculty at the Central University of Venezuela.
Maduro has blamed the power failure on a U.S. cyberattack. Engineers and analysts dismiss the claim. They think itstarted with a brush fire near power lines or an electrical substation in southern Bolivar state that eventually knocked out the Guri hydroelectric plant   the source of 80 percent of the country's power.
The five day nationwide blackout this month was a dramatic sign of the crumbling of Venezuela's infrastructure. But it was probably only a curtain raiser for a broader disaster expected in the coming weeks and months as the country's political crisis deepens, according to economists, diplomats and aid workers here.
Opposition leaders say they have no choice but to press ahead with their plan to alleviate the crippling shortages in the country because Mr. Maduro rejects humanitarian aid and refuses even to acknowledge the crisis. They say all deliveries will be done by nonprofit organizations, volunteers and religious groups, rather than political operatives. Deliveries will be based on need, not political affiliation, they say.
Some economists are predicting famine in this country of 30 million. Others say the outlook may not be that extreme. But most foresee growing malnutrition in a nation where babies are dying because of a lack of food. And migration   already “on the scale of Syria,' according to the U.N. refugee agency   is likely to escalate. At Quinta Crespo, a vast warren of fluorescent lit shops smelling of poultry and overripe fruit, shopkeepers are nervous. Luis Eduardo Alvarez, 29, who sells deli meat, cereal, pasta and other groceries, says he's ordering half as much stock as usual, for fear that hungry people will start looting.
“In four months, we'll be seeing less food,' said Peña, 25. Farmers in his home state of Merida are telling him they have no seeds. “And the river they use to water the plants is drying up,' he said.
The government nationalized the farm supply business nine years ago. Analysts say authorities have not imported seeds, fertilizer or pesticides for this year's crop.  ( Calls and emails to the Agriculture Ministry were not returned. )  Venezuela's agricultural productionhad been slumping for years under government price controls and the expropriation of farms. Now, the country's farms can fulfill only about 20 percent of domestic food needs, said Carlos Albornoz, head of the national dairy and livestock association.
“We are 30 days from the start of the agricultural cycle, and we simply don't have the inputs, the tools, the seeds,' Albornoz said. “An agricultural collapse is absolutely inevitable.' Francisco Rodríguez, the senior economist at the New York investment bank Torino Capital, is a native of Venezuela. Unless the political crisis is resolved, he said, “Venezuela is very likely to undergo a famine this year.'
Meanwhile, the arrival of humanitarian aid for Venezuelans, announced by Guaido is being anxiously awaited by those who daily cross the Simon Bolivar International Bridge. This bridge, which connects Cucuta with San Antonio del Tachira, Venezuela, is crossed every day by some 35,000 Venezuelans seeking the minimum amount of food and medicines they need to survive.
Authorities are prioritizing obtaining gasoline even over diluents, the chemicals that are used to thin Venezuela's sludgy crude so it can be exported through pipes. Officials managed to contain monthly inflation in February to about 60 percent by sharply limiting banks from lending, Arcay said. But inflation is expected to soar again in March, he said, because the government is furiously printing money to pay employees. The Venezuelan money supply   as measured by cash, checking accounts and bank accounts accessed by debit card   is now doubling every month, he said. As for theoil industry, production slipped nearly 9 percent from January to February, to just over 1 million barrels a day, according to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. That's about half as much as Venezuela was pumping in 2017.
Word from the countryside is that farmers have been unable to find seeds and fertilizer. And the planting season is about to start. Everyone from Wall Street analysts to Rodríguez, who has sold carrots, parsley, bananas and garlic here for decades, worries that this will be the year Venezuela's agricultural sector collapses. “The situation is critical,' said Rodríguez, 70, squatting on a plastic stool as customers handled her food, then moved on without buying. “There's already very little production.'
Already, the economy of this oil rich nation has shrunk by about half since 2014   the most precipitous drop in recorded Latin American history. This year, economists expect imports of food, medicine and other goods to plummet by 50 percent or more, as new U.S. sanctions choke off income from the state run oil industry. “We are not returning to normalcy,' said Susana Raffalli, a nutrition expert who advises the relief agency Caritas Venezuela. “This is the beginning of a phase in which we'll see a more profound collapse of services in the country.'
A government official called aid "a Trojan horse" and said the country had a duty to defend its borders. "According to our constitution, we have the right and the duty to defend our borders peacefully," said Freddy Bernal.
For five days, aid material including food and medicine has been piling up at collection centers in Colombia near the border with Venezuela. A modern bridge linking two border towns has been blocked with two large containers and the tanker section of a big fuel truck.
In the Colombian border town of Cucuta, which sees tens of thousands of fleeing Venezuelans arrive every day, a new crypto currency cash machine  ( ATM )  was opened in March.
On Twitter,he said Mr Marrero had been "kidnapped"and that "two rifles and a grenade had been planted" at his aide's home during the raid at about 02:00 local time  ( 06:00 GMT ) .
One road bridge between Venezuela and Colombia remains blocked on the Venezuelan side by shipping containers.
El masivo apagón de una semana de hace 20 días afectó con dureza a los hospitales, ya castigados por la falta de insumos y medicinas.
La estrategia de Guaidó obligó a que horas más tarde, Maduro rompiera relaciones con Washington.
"I've not had water for the past two years in my home...the closest  [ running water ]  is two miles away at the hospital... almost 500 people use one faucet," she said.
"He has the support, up until now, of the armed forces in, at least, at the higher levels. And he has control of the state institutions," says Golinger. "There are millions of Venezuelans who have supported him and may not be content with the current situation in the country, but don't support, the kind of coup like situation that is taking place".
Last week, the chief prosecutor said it had asked the Supreme Court to investigate Mr Guaidó for allegedly sabotaging the country's electrical system in the wake of this month's power cuts.
“I think the detention of Marrero shows that the Maduro government is becoming more willing to start targeting Guaidó and his closest allies, and that whatever Maduro previously feared from doing so, he may no longer fear as much,' Timothy Gill, a Venezuela expert at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, told me.
Representatives of National Assembly President Juan Guaidó, who has beenrecognized by the U.S.and more than four dozen countries as Venezuela's legitimate leader, said they took control of three diplomatic offices in Washington and New York that were formerly operated by the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
El diarioFinancial Timesinforma de que Guaidó ha pedido por escrito al Gobierno británico y al gobernador del Banco de Inglaterra que no entregue a Maduro el oro venezolano guardado en Londres.
La oposición venezolana intenta convencer a los militares para que abandonen a Maduro. Ayer muchos ciudadanos se movilizaron para entregar a los uniformados la ley de amnistía aprobada por la Asamblea Nacional.
El presidente de la Asamblea, juramentado como jefe de Estado y de Gobierno interino de Venezuela, fue quien solicitó a la primera ministra británica, Theresa May, detener la repatriación de las 31 toneladas de oro que el Gobierno venezolano tiene en el Banco de Inglaterra, según una carta enviada por el propio político. Desde el año pasado, el país latinoamericano ha intentado en varias ocasiones retirar el oro que tiene en la institución británica por el temor a sanciones internacionales y posibles embargos económicos, en un momento en el que la nación petrolera atraviesa una crisis de liquidez tras la caída de su producción de crudo.
President Nicolas Maduro has presided over Venezuela's spiral into its worst ever economic crisis, with hyperinflation forecast to reach 10 million percent this year.
As a result, some 3 million Venezuelans have fled abroad over the past five years to escape worsening living conditions.
IFRC is now looking to its partners for 13 million Swiss francs for 2019 – close to triple the 4.8 million Swiss francs initially sought at the beginning of 2019. In total, the Red Cross aims to reach 220,000 highly vulnerable people.
La oposición venezolanaha iniciado este domingo una campaña para hacer llegar a los militares y policías del país el texto de una ley que aprobó recientemente el Parlamento, donde tiene una contundente mayoría, y que busca que los funcionarios no reconozcan a Nicolás Maduro como gobernante, informaEfe.El documento fue entregado en varios destacamentos de Caracas y, en algunos casos, los militares destruyeron el material. En el puesto de control de la residencia presidencial, conocida como La Casona, los funcionarios recogieron las copias dejadas bajo los portones de entrada y las devolvieron rotas.
Aid and investment directed to short life cycle cropscan yield a harvest within three to six months; restoring reliable meat and poultry production will take at least a year. Fully rebuilding agricultural production will take a decade or more and cost some $10 billion to $15 billion.
Food aid and increased foreign exchangeallow the new government to restore 1990s era food assistance programs aimed at children and pregnant mothers.
Elautoproclamado presidente interino de Venezuela,elopositor Juan Guaidó, llamó este domingo a manifestaciones el próximo miércoles y sábado para exigir el apoyo de las Fuerzas Armadas y respaldar el ultimátum dado porEuropa al mandatario, Nicolás Maduro,para que convoque a elecciones libres.
Alentado por el creciente apoyo de Estados Unidos y Europa, y la deserción del agregado militar en Washington, Guaidó envió este domingo a sus seguidores a distribuir por todo el país copias de la ley de amnistía que ofrece a los militares, buscando quebrar el principal sostén de Maduro, la Fuerza Armada.
Maduro firmly opposes any aid from abroad, stressing that there is no humanitarian crisis in the country and pledging to prevent foreign intervention.
En este juego de espejos, Maduro cuenta entonces con el respaldo del Tribunal Supremo, de la Asamblea Constituyente y, por sobre todo, de lasmáximas jerarquías de las fuerzas armadas,donde también ha realizadopurgas para desplazar a los disidentes, que junto a las fuerzas policiales y parapoliciales resultan vitales para el control de los barrios y la calle.
Venezuelan Health Minister Carlos Alvarado announced Thursday the arrival of 933 tons of medicines and medical supplies from China, Cuba, the Pan American Health Organization  ( PAHO )  and some direct purchases'' from the Ministry.
Guaidó, por su parte, cuenta con el respaldo de laAsamblea Legislativa que preside,delTribunal Supremo en el exilioconstituido por los jueces desplazados por Maduro y de los partidos políticos de la oposición reunidos en laMesa de Unidad Democrática.
Nicolás Maduro, presidente de Venezuela, dijo queEstados Unidosestaba detrás de un golpe de estado para destituirlo como presidente, y acusó alautoproclamado presidente Juan Guaidóde violar “la constitución y todas las leyes', durante una amplia entrevista con CNN Turk este domingo.
En vastas áreas del sur de Venezuela, guerrillas colombianas, sindicatos criminales y fuerzas de seguridad venezolanas compiten por el control de las minas de oro, las cuales proveen fondos al acorralado gobierno del presidente Nicolás Maduro.
Miles de personas tomaron las calles del país para exigir nuevas elecciones. La opinión internacional está dividida. Algunos países ya reconocen la autoridad del líder de la Asamblea Nacional como presidente. Otros le siguen mostrando su apoyo a Maduro y califican a Guaidó de "golpista".
También se advierte la situación que viven los profesionales de la salud, que en cumplimiento de sus funciones, han denunciado falta de insumos en los hospitales y a causa de ellos son suspendidos o removidos definitivamente de su trabajo.
Venezuela es conocida por poseer una de las reservas de petróleo más grandes del mundo, pero al ser casi su única exportación, la caída en la producción del líquido está golpeando fuertemente la economía del país.
Nicolás Maduro tomó el poder después de la muerte de Hugo Chávez, en 2013. Desde entonces la economía venezolana ha estado en caída libre, con el Producto Interno Bruto decreciendo hasta más de un  15%. en el último par de años.
Mr Guaidó said some 600,000 Venezuelan volunteers would carry the aid across the border on 23 February.
Según informes de la ONU, el 7% de la población venezolana ha abandonado el país en los últimos años debido a la crisis. La mayoría elige como destino Estados Unidos y los países latinoamericanos más próximos.
El propio Ministerio de Salud de Venezuela ha reconocido que en los últimos años ha tenido lugar un aumento en la mortalidad infantil, materna y en los casos de enfermedades como la malaria o la difteria.
Venezuela vive uno de los peores episodios de hiperinflación registrados en todo el planeta desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial.La introducción de una nueva moneda, el bolívar soberano, que le quitó 5 ceros a su antecesor, el bolívar fuerte, no ha solucionado el problema hiperinflacionario.
Los venezolanos han visto cómo en los últimos meses escasean los productos alimenticios más básicos. Alimentos como la carne de res o el pollo se han convertido enartículos de lujo.La crisis ha provocado una caída notable de las importaciones en un país extremadamente dependiente del exterior que ha visto además hundirse la producción nacional en todos los rubros.
He added that aid was being stockpiled in Miami to be flown to the Dutch territory of Curaçao early next week.
In Venezuela, between EW 26 of 2017 and EW 52 of 2018, a total of 9,116 suspected cases  ( 1,307 in 2017 and 7,809 in 2018 ) , including 6,202 confirmed measles cases  ( 727 in 2017 and 5,475 in 2018 ) , have been reported  ( Figure 6 ) .
He has set 23 February as the date for the humanitarian aid to get moving.
An average of 5,000 people departed Venezuela per day during 2018, according to the UN agencies.
The defense of Venezuela''s sovereignty and self determination is an issue that several UN member countries are addressing by rejecting US interference.
The UN chief reiterated its offer of good offices for a serious negotiation in Venezuela that will benefit the people and will help to alleviate tensions in the country.
One former Cuban supervisor said that she and other foreign medical workers were given counterfeit identification cards to vote in an election. Another doctor said she and others were told to give precise voting instructions to elderly patients, whose infirmities made them particularly easy to manipulate.
The oil rich country's economic meltdown under Maduro has left millions in poverty facing shortages of medicine and food, with hyperinflation making purchases impossible.
After receiving death threats from patients, Dr. Arias said he was sent to a fishing town, La Vela del Coro, where food shortages led doctors and nurses to steal medicine and trade it for groceries. “I saw it with my own eyes,' he said, recounting how a Cuban nurse traded antibiotics for “a kilo of potatoes, a kilo of yams.'
Y es que la decisión de Guaidó de autoproclamarse como mandatario interino, no solo sacudió a la política interna venezolana, sino que también tuvo repercusiones a nivel regional.
otros expertos sostienen que su estrategia podría dar frutos concretos, con miras a una salida de Maduro y un eventual proceso de transición.
US assistance has been blocked by containers which Maduro loyalists placed on a border bridge to prevent access.
A pesar del colapso económico de Venezuela y la caída de la popularidad del dictadorNicolás Maduro, los líderes de la oposición no habían podido presentar un frente unido en mucho tiempo. Ahora, todos ellos están respaldando aGuaidó.
Guaidóme dijo en la entrevista del 21 de enero que sus dos prioridades principales, una vez juramentado como líder legítimo de Venezuela, serían pedir ayuda humanitaria urgente de países amigos para aliviar la escasez de alimentos y medicamentos, y convocar elecciones anticipadas.
Es cierto que la cúpula militar de Venezuela todavía responde aMaduro, lo que hará casi imposible queGuaidópueda abrir un corredor de ayuda alimentaria internacional al país –al cualMadurose opone, alegando que no hay tal crisis– o implementar otras medidas internas.
Juan Guaidó, líder de la Asamblea Nacional, se autojuramentó como presidente con el respaldo de muchos de los países del hemisferio occidental, empezando por Estados Unidos. Nicolás Maduro, quien es el otro presidente, lo rechazó y recibió el respaldo de Rusia y China. Las Fuerzas Armadas de Venezuela, capaces de cambiar la balanza de poder del país apoyaron a Maduro.
Incertidumbre por los dos presidentes y por lo que pueda suceder en un país en donde todo puede ocurrir en estos momentos.
Venezuela is plagued by hyperinflation and major shortages of basic goods, with opposition leader Juan Guaido and President Nicolas Maduro vying for control of the country.
hasta el momento porque obviamente el riesgo de un golpe de Estado continúa existiendo, nosotros y yo a nivel particular lo veo como poco probable que haya un golpe de Estado exitoso por el momento.
The current situation interrupts essential commercial activities as well as the access of hundreds of thousands Venezuelans who would otherwise cross into Colombia and Brazil on a daily basis to satisfy their basic needs, and secure education, health and other services.
La Alta Comisionada de las Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos, Michelle Bachelet, condenó este viernes la situación de violencia en Venezuela y llamó a realizar una investigación efectiva de los actos que han provocado numerosas muertes y lesiones durante la última semana de protestas.
The US Army plans to deliver an additional 200 tonnes in coming days, a Pentagon official said on Friday, speaking on grounds of anonymity.
The Quito Declaration and Plan of Action mark a significant step forward in harmonizing policies and practices, scaling up and coordinating the humanitarian response and improving access and enjoyment of rights to refugees and migrants.
La Alta Comisionada dijo que su Oficina ha recibido informes de detenciones a gran escala de manifestantes –más de 350 personas en total, incluyendo 320 sólo el 23 de enero  y que también ha recolectado información sobre allanamientos de viviendas en algunas de las áreas más pobres de Caracas, donde se han registrado al menos 180 protestas durante esta semana.
También pidió que se respeten las garantías procesales en el caso de todas las personas detenidas y que se ponga inmediatamente en libertad a toda persona detenida por ejercer sus derechos humanos.
Al menos 35 muertos y 850 detenidos ha dejado una semana de disturbios y protestas contra el gobierno del presidente de Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, de acuerdo con un balance publicado hoy por organizaciones defensoras de derechos humanos.
El sistema de atención sanitaria sigue deteriorándose, lo que repercute considerablemente en la mortalidad y morbilidad materna, la mortalidad infantil. La propagación de enfermedades infecciosas, que habían estado previamente bajo control, es el foco de la reciente campaña de vacunación implementada por el Gobierno con la ayuda de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud.
“The protracted conflict in  [ Venezuela ]  has had a grave impact on the population, with high levels of political polarization, growing humanitarian needs and serious human rights concerns,' said Rosemary DiCarlo, Under Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.
Según una encuesta reciente, más de un millón de niños han dejado de asistir a la escuela, la mayoría porque sus padres no pueden proporcionarles el desayuno, porque los programas de almuerzo escolar han colapsado, por la escasez de transporte público a precios asequibles, o por la falta de docentes y personal escolar, muchos de los cuales han abandonado el país.
All parties must respect human rights and the rule of law, she stressed, warning that the situation could spiral out of control.
TheRevolutionary Government of the Republic of Cuba condemns the escalation of pressures and actions by the USgovernment in preparation for a military adventure under the guise of a “humanitarian intervention' in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and calls on the international community to mobilise in order to prevent its consummation.
“We are seven days from this being a reality, we are going to have the accompaniment of people, of hundreds of thousands, of millions of Venezuelans that our president Juan Guaido has called upon, who we have asked to go to the border dressed in white as a sign of peace,' said Toledo.
En conferencia de prensa, Uzcátegui denunció además ocho “ejecuciones extrajudiciales' después de las movilizaciones opositoras, en operativos en zonas populares, responsabilizando de ello a agentes de la fuerza policial de acciones especiales.
The supplies, including hygiene kits and special products meant for children suffering malnutrition, are arriving from an Air Force base in Florida aboard C 17 military cargo planes, the U.S. embassy said in a statement.
Por su parte, el director de Foro Penal, Alfredo Romero, ha cifrado desde el 21 de enero pasado 850 detenciones, tan solo 696 el 23 de enero cuando fueron las mayores protestas contra Maduro, entre ellos 77 adolescentes y 100 mujeres.
Over 5,000 Venezuelans have been relocated from Brazil's northern state of Roraima to 17 other states in the country, thanks to an innovative internal relocation programme supported by UNHCR, the UN Refugee agency, civil society and other UN agencies such as IOM, UNFPA and UNDP.
Además, en Amazonas y Barinas  ( tres cada uno ) , Táchira y Monagas  ( dos cada uno )  y Yaracuy, Mérida y Sucre  ( uno cada uno ) .
A través de Twitter, Romero escribió “77 menores de edad han sido detenidos arbitrariamente, niños entre 13 y 14 años se encuentran bajo custodia policial, muchas niñas involucradas'.
President Nicolas Maduro is resisting foreign efforts to send food and medicine to the hyperinflationary country suffering from rising hunger. An aid convoy supplied by the United States and Colombia arrived in Cucuta last week, where it is being held in warehouses.
The concert is scheduled for Feb. 22 and will feature a "wonderful line up of regional and international artists," Branson said, without providing details.