Venezuela: What happened with the humanitarian aid and what is the country’s future?

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14 dead, almost 300 injured and a panorama of more scarcity for its citizens suggest a possible military intervention

The panorama remains very difficult and with much uncertainty for Venezuela after the events of Saturday, the day of humanitarian aid entrance. The balance of deaths and injuries made the interim president of that country, Juan Guaidó, suggest that at Monday's meeting in Bogotá with the Lima Group he could use foreign military intervention as one of the options.

Leer en español: Venezuela: ¿Qué dejó la ayuda humanitaria y qué viene para el país?

In his closing speech of the humanitarian aid entrance, Guaidó emphasized important things like calling elections only when the "usurper" Nicolás Maduro has left Miraflores, noted CNN en español. He also called him "indolent" to celebrate the deaths of Venezuelans in another day that ends with a fatal outcome for the beaten South American country.

"Today's events force me to make a decision: to pose to the International Community in a formal way that we must have all options open to achieve the liberation of this country that is fighting and will continue to fight … Hope was born not to die, Venezuela! ", he said in his Twitter account.

Read also: Venezuela: What happened in the last week?

What to expect from the meeting with the Lima Group?

The Venezuelan opposition leader announced that he will participate on Monday at the Lima Group meeting in Bogotá, and urged the international community to consider "all the cards" against the government of Nicolás Maduro, noted Caracol Radio.

"I will participate (…) in that meeting of the Lima Group (…) with all the foreign ministers of the region and also with the Vice President of the United States Mike Pence," said Guaidó, who is already recognized by more than 50 countries as interim president of Venezuela.

In that sense, he deepened "to keep all the cards on the table" against Maduro. As is well known, Donald Trump's government has evoked all options, including the military, to force the 'usurper' out of power.

After his arrival today in Bogota, in the early afternoon, Guaidó assured his participation in the meeting of the Lima Group with these words: "Today we are coming to the city of Bogotá to attend tomorrow the summit of the Group of Lima with presidents of the region and the vice president of the United States, who kindly will be hosting Colombia tomorrow." He also made reference to his homeland and what his intentions are in the neighboring country: "And the people of Venezuela here we are, today, in Bogota, we came to Colombia to ask for help to our country, country that resists, that insists on seeking democracy and freedom".

Military support

In the opinion of the opposition leader, more than 60 Venezuelan soldiers reject the Maduro regime. The figure was confirmed by Canal RCN, which indicated that several soldiers refused to repress the thousands of Venezuelans who supported the network for the entry of food and medicine. In the last hours it has been said that the figure is already 100 officials.

The number of members of the Venezuelan Armed Forces (FAV) who deserted to seek refuge in Colombia amounted to almost 60, according to Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo. "Today, more than 60 soldiers, several of them officers, have arrived unarmed in Colombian territory, who have requested refuge in Colombia, demonstrating the loss of confidence on the usurper regime of Maduro, " said the leader in Cúcuta.

The desertions, said Holmes Trujillo, "have occurred in the departments of Norte de Santander and Arauca during today." Only in Norte de Santander there have been 53 deserters, while in Arauca there have been eight to date.

Read also: Venezuela: chaos and desertions mark the day

Another fatal balance

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, revealed the lamentable figures left by the day of humanitarian aid last Saturday at the borders with Colombia and Brazil, noted Publimetro.

"It has been a bloody day because of paramilitary violence and repressive forces," Almagro told a news conference. The secretary counted 14 dead and 285 wounded amid the protests . "What happened on the Santander bridge, having burned trucks with humanitarian aid and throwing tear gas to Venezuelan volunteers, shows the absolute lack of human sense of the usurper," lamented Almagro.

The secretary of the OAS concluded by saying that: "Venezuelans have shown the courage to try to get humanitarian aid in. Today the lies of the regime were exposed, which spoke of armed actions and invasion."

Distressing panorama for citizens

Professor Orlando Ochoa, an economist and professor at the Andrés Bello Catholic University, informed through CNN en español that in the coming days there will be asset freezes and difficulties to make transfers. In short, an intensification of the economic situation of Venezuela, which obviously will be reflected in the citizens of less resources . PDVSA will have less capacity to acquire inputs and the hyperinflation process will continue to increase uncontrollably.

"The fuel supply will continue to depend on the importation in the midst of a small economy, there can be barter with Bolivia and even Nicaragua, but that will not stop the rationing, in short there will not be enough supply for the 30 million inhabitants. What comes to the Venezuelan seem to be worse than what is already happening", deepened the specialist.

What is Maduro's position?

At the same time, in a declaration hours before those of Guaidó, Maduro turned his energies against Colombia, one of the main allies of the interim government of Venezuela, according to Semana.

"I have decided to break all political and diplomatic relations with the fascist government of Colombia and all its ambassadors and consuls must leave in 24 hours from Venezuela. Get out of here, oligarchy! ", said the leader, in front of a massive demonstration in Caracas.

Maduro added that "everything has its limit (…) Patience is exhausted, we can not continue to support the lending of Colombia's territory for an aggression against Venezuela." He also declared that "never before a government of Colombia had fallen so low (…) You are the devil Iván Duque, you are the devil, and you will dry yourself to get involved with Venezuela, Vade retro satan, outside from here, devil, "he said.

Finally he celebrated the failure of the entrance of humanitarian aid to Venezuelan territory and said "We are waiting for Mr. fantoche clown, puppet of US imperialism and beggar," in reference to Guaidó, who is in Colombia.

LatinAmerian Post | Onofre Zambrano

Translated from "Venezuela: ¿qué dejó la ayuda humanitaria?