Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has refused to enter what he called poisoned US aid.

 

In an interview with reporters, he accused the United States and its president of being behind an attempt to destroy his country’s independence and sovereignty on the pretext of delivering humanitarian aid.

In response to a question from the field delegate, Maduro mocked US aid, saying Washington’s gifts had already destroyed Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.

Maduro also expressed his readiness to support any action leading to dialogue and understanding among Venezuelans, adding that the European Union has become deaf to the crisis in Venezuela.

Venezuelan Parliament Speaker Juan Guadillo urged residents in all municipalities to organize their ranks in order to bring in aid despite Maduro’s objections, calling on his supporters to demonstrate on the 12th of this month.

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Guido said he would do whatever was necessary, as he put it, even by helping with military intervention.

On the other hand, a senior White House official revealed that the United States is in direct contact with members of the Venezuelan army to urge them to split.

The official told Reuters that Washington was also preparing new sanctions aimed at increasing pressure on President Nicolas Maduro, noting that the Trump administration expects more crackdowns in the army and that a limited number of senior officers have done so since the opposition leader Juan Guido declared himself interim president last month .

The US ambassador in Colombia called on the Venezuelan military to allow the entry of humanitarian aid gathered in Colombian Cucuta and help distribute it.

At the opening of a storage center in the border city, he said that the armed forces of Venezuela have the opportunity to participate in a major humanitarian campaign to address the problems of the country and urged them to take a decision that everyone will remember.

Separately, a Venezuelan aid ship arrived in the Cuban capital Havana loaded with 100 tons of humanitarian aid sent to Cuba after being hit by the hurricane in the recent period.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment of Cuba confirmed that Venezuela is still providing aid to Cuba despite the American embargo imposed on it, while the Venezuelan Chargé d’affaires in Cuba confirmed that her country will continue to strengthen its cooperation with Havana despite all the challenges