Venezuela-Colombia Border Clashes: 4 People Killed, Many Injured in Protests After Maduro Banned Aid From Entering the Country
Government forces and opposition activists have clashed in Venezuelan border regions amid president Nicolás Maduro’s ban on aid entering the country.
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Venezuela protests
The ongoing crisis in Venezuela devolved over the weekend, as embattled president Nicolás Maduro’s military blocked help and humanitarian aid from entering the country — occasionally with deadly force.
Source:Â AP
Starting Friday, violent clashes erupted at several points along Venezuela’s border with Colombia as armed government forces tried to block shipments of aid from entering the country.
Source:Â REUTERS
By the end of Saturday, at least four people had reportedly been killed along that line and along the Latin American country’s border with Brazil; hundreds more were injured.
Source: AFP
Maduro has insisted that the humanitarian supplies are unnecessary.
There have also been reports of several aid trucks being burned – something Mr Guaidó said was a violation of the Geneva Convention.
#Venezuela 🇻🇪: trucks carrying hard needed humanitarian aid are now on fire on hr Venezuelan border with #Colombia.#Maduro regime is still preventing any aid from entering. #23Feb pic.twitter.com/CeeBqBsEAl
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) February 23, 2019
Amnesty International has described the use of firearms against protesters as a serious human rights violation and a crime under international law.
The majority of injured on the Colombian side of the border were injured by tear gas. Some reportedly were injured by rubber bullets.
This conflict zone is littered with hundreds of shotgun shells authorities say come from the Venezuelan guard pic.twitter.com/NRPDkjsIlL
— Dylan Baddour (@DylanBaddour) February 24, 2019
Opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself interim president last month, arrived in Colombia before the closing of the border has effectively been locked out of his country so he failed to enter with American food supplies and medicine.
Mr Guaidó, who has been recognized as leader by dozens of nations, will meet US Vice President Mike Pence on Monday in Bogota, Colombia.
Source: AFP
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the attacks on civilians, which he blamed on “Maduro’s thugs”.
“Our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have died due to these criminal acts. We join their demand for justice,” he said in a tweet following the clashes.
Source: Twitter
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