Juan Guaidó challenged Nicolás Maduro in front of a crowd: "February 23, humanitarian aid will come to Venezuela"

In front of a crowd of supporters, the Venezuelan opposition Juan Guaidó declared that February 23 will enter the humanitarian aid to Venezuela. In this way, he challenged the persistence The refusal of President Nicolás Maduro, in an impulse that confronts again the United States and Russia.

Guaidó, recognized by some 50 countries as interim president, set 23 February as the deadline, one month after its appointment by the president Congress declared Maduro "usurper" to consider that he was re-elected fraudulently.

"Humanitarian aid will go yes or yes to Venezuelabecause the usurper will have to leave, yes or yes from Venezuela. This is not the first time that Venezuela is getting rid of a tyrant, hope this will be the last one, "added the congressional president to the majority of the opposition.

Maduro denies the existence of a "humanitarian emergency", blames lack of medicine and food for tough US sanctions and rejects aid sent by Washington military intervention.

"We want peace for Venezuela, we all want peace for Venezuela, for the drums of war to move away, for the threats of military invasion to dissipate," said the leader Chavez during a demonstration of his supporters in the center of the capital.

The pulse between the two main political forces of the oil country occurs in complete economic debacle, with a shortage of drugs and food not payable for the majority because of hyperinflation. According to the UN, some 2.3 million Venezuelans (7% of the population) have fled the country because of the crisis that has been raging since 2015.

"It's time for courage"

Tons of food and medicine sent by the United States They are in a collection center for five days in the Colombian city of Cucuta, on the border with Venezuela, near the binational Tienditas bridge, blocked by the army with two huge containers and a cistern.

On Tuesday, a second collection center was opened in the Brazilian state of Roraima, also bordering Venezuela.

Since the platform, the 35-year-old opposition leader has asked about 250,000 registered volunteers to help with the organization of this weekend in bademblies and meetings. itinerant humanitarian camps, for "to go in caravans "to look for it at the border.

Seeking to break up the armed forces, the support of the government, Guaidó offered an amnesty to the army that they do not know Maduro and warned them that interrupting the pbadage of food and medicine is a "crime against humanity".

"A direct order to the armed forces: allow humanitarian aid to enter once and for all," said Guaidó, during the ovation of his supporters who shouted, "Yes, you can."

But military leadership echoes the qualification of "political broadcast" that Maduro gave to humanitarian aid. This week, the military exercise before a possible armed action not excluded by President Donald Trump.

Maduro, for its part, had already ruled out that there shock between troops and volunteers.

Russia vs. USA, the geopolitical struggle

While Guaidó has the decisive impetus of the United States and the support of Latin America and Europe, Maduro has Russia, Turkey, Iran and China well. that according The Wall Street Journal Chinese diplomats met with opposition officials to discuss debt issues and oil projects.

On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned his US counterpart Mike Pompeo by telephone interview "against any interference in Venezuela's internal affairs, including the use of force," according to Russian diplomacy.

The United States has proposed a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council for Venezuela to provide humanitarian badistance, to which is opposed to Russia.

Washington, with whom Caracas broke off relations to support Guaidó, seeks to stifle the government and from April 28, vital exports of Venezuelan crude to the US market will be subject to an embargo.

In an interview with the BBCMaduro said his country owned 80 tons of gold in England and that he hoped he would not be confiscated. Turkey has said it wants to develop the precious metal trade with Venezuela, despite warnings from the United States.

"Venezuela is in the eye of the geopolitical hurricane of the world, "says Maduro, accusing Trump of wanting to control the world's largest oil reserve.

In New York, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has proposed to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza to badist him in his negotiations.

But Guaidó says he will not dialogue, even across the Vatican, because he badures that Maduro has manipulated the negotiations in the past to stay in power.