BATTLE AROUND HUMANITARIAN AID

IN VENEZUELA

The military is determined to prevent the entry of thousands of opponents led by Juan Guaido to bring humanitarian aid to the country. They claim to defend "territorial integrity" of Venezuela.

Indeed, at the call of Juan Guaido, recognized as interim president by fifty or so countries, some 700,000 volunteers, according to the opposition, intend to board buses on 23 February at border crossings. Purpose: to take delivery of humanitarian aid sent by the United States and Brazil.

On Saturday, Brazil will also make humanitarian aid available in Boa Vista and Pacaraima (North) "in cooperation with the United States". Dozens of tons of food and medicine sent by the United States are stored in Cucuta where Colombian Presidents Ivan Duque and Chilean Sebastian Piñera plan to go on Friday to show their support for the operation. Food and medicine will be available to be collected "by Juan Guaido's (self-proclaimed) government, by Venezuelan trucks driven by Venezuelans," said Brazilian presidential spokesman Otavio Rego Barros.

Military blockade.

"Yankees' presidents, like those in Colombia and Chile, who are encouraging provocation and violence against Venezuela, are calling for an assault on the Venezuelan border next Saturday," responded Nicolas Maduro. .

But the borders will remain closed, warned the Minister of Defense. "The army will remain deployed and alert along the borders to prevent any violation of the integrity of the territory," warned Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino at the head of an army that reaffirmed on Tuesday its "loyalty flawless "towards Nicolas Maduro. And this despite the tweet sent by Juan Guaido on Tuesday to each of the military leaders of the border regions:

"On February 23, you must choose between serving Maduro and serve the homeland," he wrote them. Despite the US president's call on the Venezuelan army to join Juan Guaido and let humanitarian aid in. "You will not find a safe harbor, no escape route and no way out. You will lose everything, "he told the Venezuelan and Cuban community of Miami on February 18 .

"The eyes of the whole world are on you today," warned Donald Trump.

For his part, Nicolas Maduro announced the shipment Wednesday of 300 tons of medicines purchased from Russia, ally Caracas, in addition to 933 tons recently purchased from China, Russia and Cuba.

On Friday, a concert with international artists will be held in Cucuta, organized by British billionaire Richard Branson to collect donations. The Chavista power responded by announcing the organization at the same time, on the Venezuelan side, of another concert "to denounce the brutal aggression to which the Venezuelan people are being subjected". Calling Juan Guaido "a clown who claims to be acting president," Nicolas Maduro challenged him to "call elections" to "reverse the situation with the vote of the people."

Preferring "a peaceful transition", Donald Trump nevertheless reiterated that "all options" were on the table to drive Maduro off and put an end to the humanitarian crisis that drove more than 2.3 million people into exile, according to UN.