"I'm harder than ever," says Maduro

The tension of humanitarian aid in Venezuela and neighboring countries is intensifying and at least 4 people have died this afternoon in Santa Elena de Uairén, a border town of Brazil.

From the beginning, groups of people waited for the arrival of two trucks loaded with medicine and food from Brazil, but National Guard units prevented the pbadage, whose closure was ordered by the president. Nicolás Maduro from Thursday night.

At the hospital there, a doctor read a report outlining the 4 deadly victims and at least a dozen wounded.

In pictures: the first attempts at humanitarian aid in Venezuela are frustrated

"I am harder than ever"

President Maduro broke off diplomatic relations with Bogotá, shortly after Venezuelan soldiers fired rubber bullets and gas at protesters pressuring the border to bring in humanitarian aid transported by trucks from Colombia.

The opposition leader of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, whom dozens of countries recognize as the acting president of the oil nation, solicits contributions from Colombia, Brazil and Curaçao to address the deep economic and financial crisis. to the shortages suffered by the oil nation.

Defying the pressure of the international community to give up power, Maduro, increasingly isolated, again rejected aid and said that this initiative masked an attempted coup by the opposition with the government. Washington support.

"I am harder than ever to have this wood standing, governing this homeland," Maduro told thousands of supporters gathered in an avenue in Caracas in a march called "for the defense of the revolution".

"Soberano coñazo (punch), we enter the coup, the intervention of the gringa," he shouted.

And a few minutes later, he announced the break-up of relations with Colombia.

"I decided to sever all political and diplomatic relations with the fascist government of Colombia and all its ambbadadors and consuls must leave in 24 hours from Venezuela," he said.

Guaidó, with the help

From the Colombian border town of Cucuta, Guaidó fired the trucks with the Colombian leader, the conservative Ivan Duque, in a storage center where tons of supplies from the United States and other countries were stored.

"The humanitarian aid is definitely going to Venezuela peacefully and quietly to save lives," Guaidó said at the official reception of Duque's help. Shortly after, he climbed into a supply truck at the border. on the Venezuelan side.

But as trucks progressed in the Venezuelan border town of San Antonio, security forces loyal to Maduro fired tear gas and rubber bullets at a protest by MPs and supporters heading towards the border crossing. Simón Bolívar to collect help.

The demonstrators reacted by throwing stones at the contingent, while on the Colombian side, a human chain was formed with the intention of preparing to pbad the cards with help.

"They are killing Venezuelan residents in Santa Elena de Uairén and San Antonio," complained Guaidó.

The bridge, the main crossing between the two countries, was still blocked by members of the Venezuelan National Guard. (Reuters, AFP, Telam and La Nueva.)