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Cucuta, Colombia Volunteers from the Colombian border town of Cucuta have begun preparing US aid packages for Venezuelans, despite Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has vowed not to let what he called Friday be dubbed "false humanitarian badistance ".
The aid, which arrived in Cucuta on Thursday, includes flour, lentils, rice and cooking oil, as well as personal hygiene items such as toothbrushes and soap. press from the Colombian, Venezuelan and American authorities.
The volunteers were packed in individual bags for Venezuelan families.
High protein energy supplements have also been included for young Venezuelan children suffering from malnutrition. This is the first help to arrive and will only last for a short time, but officials said it would benefit thousands of people who can not afford basic medicines and food in Venezuela.
This aid was requested by the Venezuelan opposition leader, Juan Guaido, who declared himself acting president last month with the support of the United States and several other Latin American countries. . Guaido says Maduro's second term as president is illegitimate, citing the May 2018 elections, which have been widely condemned by the international community.
Maduro accuses Guaido and his supporters, including the United States, of having organized a coup d'etat.
The bridge remains blocked
We still do not know how the aid will cross the border between Colombia and Venezuela. On Wednesday, the Venezuelan army, which supports Maduro, barricaded his own side of the border, vowing not to let in help. Maduro has always denied that a humanitarian crisis is occurring in the country, blaming food and drug shortages for sanctions imposed by the United States, which targeted mainly individuals and the state oil company.
Lester Toledo, an exiled politician and spokesman for Guaido in Colombia, appealed to the Venezuelan military to ask them to help.
"Dear soldiers, this help is also for you … here is food for your children, here are medicines for people who suffer," he said.
Toledo also said that other aid items would soon be created in Venezuela 's neighboring countries in order to speed up the delivery of aid to the country.
Venezuela's socialist economic system was hit hard by the drop in world oil prices in 2014. Inflation has exploded and since 2015, more than three million Venezuelans have fled to neighboring countries due to the shortage of food, jobs and medicine. Venezuela, one of the richest countries in the region, has become the poorest.
Maduro said Friday at a press conference in Caracas that aid should be distributed to Colombians because "Venezuelans are not beggars".
"Take all this humanitarian aid and give it to the people of Cucuta, where the needs are dire," Maduro said. "Venezuela does not suffer from the humanitarian crisis created by Washington over the past four years to justify intervention in our country."
Maduro also accused US President Donald Trump of orchestrating a coup d'etat.
"Donald Trump's government has tried to violate our national sovereignty with this humanitarian" operation ", he said.
"I can not believe Maduro can be so cruel"
On Friday morning, an awning was installed on the Venezuelan side of the Simon Bolivar pedestrian bridge, the main point of entry between the two Andean countries, with the aim of collecting signatures for Maduro to remain president of Venezuela. Pbadersby shouted "Maduro", while military officials responded: "Long live the revolution".
Omaria Perez, 44, was at the entrance of Tienditas Bridge early Friday morning, writing messages on placards. A Venezuelan migrant from the state of Valencia, Perez left home 10 months ago in search of a better life in Colombia.
"I am here to support my country and we need that [aid] to enter, "she says.
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| Omaria Perez, 44, was at the entrance of Tienditas Bridge on Friday morning, kneeling and writing messages on placards. His sign: "In the name of God, we declare peace and freedom for our beautiful Venezuela.Hunitarian aid now.A public outcry & # 39; [Steven Grattan/Al Jazeera] |
Perez has been separated from most of his family, some in Venezuela, others in Peru and in other countries in search of employment opportunities.
"I do not have words to describe how I feel about what it is [Maduro] made. I can not believe that anyone can be so cruel, "she told Al Jazeera.
Jose Mendoza, 22, waved the poster that Perez had previously performed, in which it was written, "In the name of God, we declare peace and freedom to our beautiful Venezuela." Humanitarian aid now A public outcry.
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