Venezuela: Embattled President Maduro stops international aid to his country

Caracas, Feb 8: It's getting worse in Venezuela. The embattled president, Nicolas Maduro, has imposed a blockade on a bridge connecting Venezuela with neighbouring Colombia to stop humanitarian aid from entering the country which is witnessing unprecedented crisis - politically as well as economically.

Maduro swung into action to bar international help after the Opposition leader and self-declared president - Juan Guaido - announced last week that the Colombian border town of Cucuta will be one of the three collection points for international aid, CNN reported.

Maduro, who has faced pressure internationally with several nations extending acknowledgement to Guaido as the interim president, hit back to reject international aid, saying Venezuela is no beggar.

The blockade put on the bridge connect with Colombia was confirmed by officials from Colombia and the CNN and it was said that the blockade would prevent humanitarian aid from reaching a crisis-stricken Venezuela.

Images showed a huge oil tanker and a couple of giant containers were positioned across the three-lane Tienditas Bridge that links Cucuta with the city of San Antonio in western Venezuela.

The Venezuelan people desperately need humanitarian aid. The U.S. & other countries are trying to help, but #Venezuela’s military under Maduro's orders is blocking aid with trucks and shipping tankers. The Maduro regime must LET THE AID REACH THE STARVING PEOPLE. #EstamosUnidosVE pic.twitter.com/L4ysYJaM6H

— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) February 6, 2019

Sources in Colombian government said the Venezuelan military put up the blockade and added that activities on the bridge were being monitored. Both Guaido and Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State of the US which has backed the former against Maduro, have urged Venezuela to allow the international aid reach its people.