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Maduro Rejects US Aid: Venezuelans Not «Beggars»

Maduro Rejects US Aid: Venezuelans Not «Beggars»
folder_openLatin America access_time5 years ago
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By Staff, News Agencies

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Friday the US-backed humanitarian aid being stockpiled in the Colombian border city of Cucuta for his country should be distributed to poor Colombians as Venezuelans are not "beggars."

The day after trucks carrying medicine and food arrived in Cucuta, Maduro told a news conference that Venezuela did not need the aid that includes supplies provided by the United States.

"Venezuela will not allow the show of ... humanitarian aid because we do not beg from anyone," Maduro told reporters. "Venezuela is not suffering the humanitarian crisis fabricated by Washington over the last four years to justify intervening in our country."

Political crisis deepened in the South American country on January 23, when opposition figure Juan Guaido, a lawmaker who leads the defunct National Assembly, proclaimed himself the “interim president” of the country. US President Donald Trump was quick in officially recognizing him as such, announcing sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry.

Besides the US, other major Western powers such as the UK, France, Spain and Germany have recognized Guaido as “interim president.”

Russia, China, Iran and Turkey are some of the countries that have thrown their support behind Maduro.

Maduro had on Thursday said the US was using Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis as a cover-up for its military plans in the country.

The International Contact Group (GCI) said earlier that all sides needed to find a “peaceful, democratic” way out of the situation “without the use of force.”

In a statement, the organization said it would send a technical mission to Venezuela to help provide humanitarian aid and back new elections as soon as possible.

“We reject the partisan and ideological nature of the document," Maduro said in his Friday remarks, stressing that he would always welcome dialog with anyone.

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