Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro will close borders with Brazil as tensions rise over foreign aid delivery. In a televised interview the Maduro announced the border closure with Brazil and warned against trying to bring humanitarian supplies into Venezuela by force.
The President Maduro’s move would seal most of Venezuela’s inland periphery. Nicolas Maduro was also looking to explore sealing border with Columbia, “I don’t want to make such a decision, but I am considering it — an absolute closure of the border with Colombia. We have taken all the measures so that everything can be peaceful”.
Foreign aid is being collected in both Brazil and Colombia, self declared president and opposition leader Juan Guaido questioned why Maduro accepted aid from the United Nations last year but opposes the new aid shipments. The Government calls the opposition’s aid campaign as “a provocation”.
Juan Guaido named Saturday as the deadline for the aid to cross the border. The Government of Venezuela have already closed air and maritime borders with Curacao.
As the delivery deadline approaches he Colombian border town of Cucuta is filled with several shipment of aid from the United States to be delivered. The Virgin CEO Richard Branson is expected to host a solidarity concert ‘Venezuela Aid Live’ at Cucuta on Friday. Branson hopes to raise US$ 100 million to buy food and medicine, and essential supplies for the country.
Self declared president Guaido is expected to personally collect the aid waiting at the border at Cucuta. The Government of Venezuela have been creating hurdles for the opposition leaders to reach the border.
The United Nations and the Red Cross have criticised the politicisation of aid delivery. Meanwhile the military of Venezuela have been loyal to the Nicolas Maduro government.