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On February 12th, US-proclaimed Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaido gave a deadline for the entry of US humanitarian aid in the country, it is February 23rd “one month after Venezuelans took an oath.”
¡Venezuela, tenemos fecha!
Un mes después de que los venezolanos tomamos juramento, el 23 de febrero será el día para que ingrese la ayuda humanitaria en Venezuela.
A partir de hoy vamos a organizarnos para la mayor movilización de nuestra historia. #AvalanchaHumanitaria
— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) February 12, 2019
He also uploaded a selfie with a mass of protesters.
A pesar de la dificultad y de que atravesamos la crisis más profunda, no nos rendimos.
¡Estamos y seguiremos en la calle!
Esta foto la tomé hoy, para mostrarle al mundo los rostros de la esperanza y que volvamos a creer en nosotros mismos.
¡#Vamosbien! pic.twitter.com/udYRKkCoFy
— Juan Guaidó (@jguaido) February 12, 2019
“Despite the difficulty and that we are going through the deepest crisis, we do not surrender. We’re going to be on the street! I took this photo today to show the world the faces of hope and to believe in ourselves again.”
Meanwhile, after a day of rest and insults of Iran’s 40 year anniversary celebrations, US National Security John Bolton returned to his harsh rhetoric towards the Venezuelan government and President Nicolas Maduro.
He retweeted Guaido’s post, also adding that these protesters are apparently demonstrating “to honor student protestors who have died at the hands of Maduro’s thugs.”
Venezuelans took to the streets to honor student protestors who have died at the hands of Maduro’s thugs. Their demand is simple – allow humanitarian aid to enter Venezuela and let the military uphold its duty to the people. Leaders still have time to make the right choice. https://t.co/Xm0ei17eh0
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) February 12, 2019
He also lost no time in blaming “Maduro’s Cuban Patrons.”
Once again, the people of Venezuela have taken to the streets in support of a peaceful democratic transition to Interim President Juan Guaido. It is time for the Venezuelan military high command to stand alongside its people, not with Maduro’s Cuban patrons. pic.twitter.com/8KS7zZzfb2
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) February 13, 2019
USAID’s Mark Green also announced additional US humanitarian aid for Venezuela, this new batch is specifically targeted at 10,000 Venezuelan school children, who will be fed by it for a month.
MORE AID FOR VENEZUELANS: @USAID is airlifting High-Energy Biscuits packed w/ vitamins & minerals from Indonesia to Colombia. They will be ready to feed 10,000 school children affected by #Venezuela crisis for 1 month. #EstamosUnidosVE https://t.co/b6F4Gky27Y
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) February 13, 2019
Separately, SOUTHCOM commander Adm. Craig Faller had a meeting with Brazil’s Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, Air Force General Raul Botelho, & service chiefs. Security issues and the US commitment for future cooperation was part of the discussion.
It may be that attempting to enter Venezuela only from the Colombian border is not enough, after all one of the points of entry for US humanitarian aid as per Guaido himself is the border crossing with Brazil.
During a meeting w/ Brazil’s Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, Air Force General Raul Botelho, & service chiefs, #SOUTHCOM commander Adm. Craig Faller discussed security issues & relayed the U.S. commitment to future cooperation. #EnduringPromise @DefesaGovBr @EmbaixadaEUA pic.twitter.com/mNUcglBT6C
— US Southern Command (@Southcom) February 12, 2019
Meanwhile, the starving school children on February 12th went out on a march, as per Maduro’s twitter account. They celebrated National Youth Day in the country.
The Bolivarian youth gave us a beautiful march, full of joy, with drums and dances. Invincible young people who are deployed in defense of the peace of Venezuela, in the streets and squares throughout the country. I congratulate you! pic.twitter.com/jGBlkoLHX5
— Nicolás Maduro (@maduro_en) February 13, 2019
We celebrate the Day of Youth and the commemoration of the 205th anniversary of the triumph of our young patriots at the Battle of La Victoria, awarding a group of outstanding young people with the Order "José Félix Ribas" in their 1st, 2nd and 3rd […] https://t.co/51WiMHfkzb
— Nicolás Maduro (@maduro_en) February 13, 2019
Maduro had an interview with BBC. In it he spoke of the political war that the US extreme right is waging against Venezuela. He also accused the Bank of England of Robbery.
He also asked BBC’s Orla Guerin: Are you an objective journalist or you only come here to verify your war campaign, the BBC’s war campaign, and the western campaign against Venezuela? The transcript of the exchange is the following:
President Maduro to BBC's Orla Guerin: Are you an objective journalist or you only come here to verify your war campaign, the BBC's war campaign, and the western campaign against Venezuela? pic.twitter.com/C3nWhRooWN
— MV English (@MV_Eng) February 13, 2019
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s oil minister Manuel Quevedo, who is also the head of the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela SA said that the country wants to sell more crude oil to India. He also said that US sanctions have resulted in a $20 billion loss to the country’s economy.
John Bolton issued a warning to all companies and countries that support “Maduro’s theft of Venezuelan resources.”
Nations and firms that support Maduro’s theft of Venezuelan resources will not be forgotten. The United States will continue to use all of its powers to preserve the Venezuelan people’s assets and we encourage all nations to work together to do the same. https://t.co/4MmHyjFY8K
— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) February 12, 2019
But finding customers in Asia may be difficult, analysts said, as Washington uses its political and financial clout to pressure countries to stay clear of dealing with PDVSA.
Barclays bank addressed the issue in a special report on Venezuela.
“Considering all the difficulties that Venezuela faces in delivering oil to other markets and the legal, reputational and financial risks confronting traders or counterparties that do business with it under the current conditions,” the bank wrote, “it seems unlikely that all production can, in short order, go to other markets.”
On February 12th, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Moscow is raising the issue of joining the International Contact Group on Venezuela “at least” as an observer.
“We raised the issue before the organizers of a conference in Montevideo from the very start,” he said. “We are interested in Russia’s joining it at least as an observer,” the senior diplomat added.
According to the official, recent contacts in Montevideo within the framework of a Mexico-Uruguay initiative set up a contact group with the participation of the EU and some Latin American countries. They were, however, not backed unanimously by the international community. “Forces have appeared that call in question the expediency of these efforts,” he explained.
“However, work to establish a dialogue between the government and the opposition forces has no alternatives for us,” the diplomat stressed. “And those who are ready to help them, and we are also among them, must now get into gear,” Ryabkov added.
He said that Moscow has already come up with a series of proposals to Caracas.
“We maintain very important contact with the authorities of this country,” and are ready to “help find the way out of the situation,” the diplomat said. “I can assure you that different kinds of offers are being made and have been made to our Venezuelan friends,’ Ryabkov said.
“But the main question is what will be the result,” he stressed. “It is necessary to counter a destructive course of a certain group of states with the US at the head with a sensible alternative,” the diplomat added.
On February 13th, Russian envoy to the UN Vasily Nebenzya described the UNSC draft resolution on Venezuela as “completely unbalanced.”
“It is completely unbalanced,” the diplomat told reporters on Tuesday.
He described the current situation in general as “a very unfortunate attempt to interfere in the politics of a sovereign country.”
TASS reported it had obtained a copy of the draft resolution and it calls for new presidential elections in the country. In contrast Moscow called for dialogue to resolve the crisis.
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
- Venezuela To Redirect US Oil Exports To Customers In Europe & Asia
- The Making of Juan Guaidó: How the US Regime Change Laboratory Created Venezuela’s Coup Leader
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