On Friday morning, near the border with Brazil, the Venezuelan army opened fire on a group of civilians who was trying to stop military vehicles. 12 people were injured and one woman is dead – said on Twitter opposition leader, Juan Guaidó. Local media report about two fatalities.
The United States is trying to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela. Planes and trucks with aid are waiting near the Colombian city of Cucuta and Brasilian Pacaraima City. Assistance will not reach Venezuela, because Nicolas Maduro claims that there is no crisis and he had to close the Brazilian border. Recently, Guaidó promised that on Saturday the opposition would bring humanitarian aid from neighboring countries and asked the military to disobey the dictator’s orders. But when the civilians tried to stop the army from blocking the border, the soldiers opened fire.
The Brazilian government has announced that it will not give up trying to provide humanitarian assistance to Venezuela. A plane loaded with food and medicine was sent to Boa Vista. Some experts say that the attempt to provide humanitarian aid to Venezuela is also caused by checking the military’s loyalty to Maduro.
“If the soldiers oppose Maduro and do not stop the convoy, Guaidó will win” – says Luis Vicente Leon, a political analyst from Caracas.
When solidiers opened fire, at the same time in Venezuela and Colombia there were two concerts. The first one was organized in Colombia by British billionaire Richard Branson. It was a charity concert for people suffering from the crisis. The second one was called “Hands Off Venezuela” and was organized on the order of Maduro.
Our indigenous people concentrated on the border with Colombia in Zulia state for the dignity of Venezuela and in support of the Bolivarian Revolution. A mobilized people who say: Trump, hands off Venezuela! A hug brothers and sisters. pic.twitter.com/dINGuU1UwE
— Nicolás Maduro (@maduro_en) February 22, 2019
On January 10 Venezuelans took to the streets. They protested against President Maduro because it was suspected that the election was rigged. They think that he is responsible for the political and economic crisis (read more in previous article).
