Venezuela has received the first batch of foreign humanitarian assistance, the country's self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, said
MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2019) Venezuela has received the first batch of foreign humanitarian assistance, the country's self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, said.
Guaido's representative to the Organization of American States, Gustavo Tarre, told Sputnik on Monday that a humanitarian convoy carrying aid from non-governmental organizations could enter Venezuela in the coming days.
"Today, we are handing over the first batch of humanitarian assistance to the [Venezuelan] Association of Health Centers. It consists of 85,000 biologically active food supplements, including ... 4,500 biologically active food supplements for pregnant women," Guaido posted on Twitter late on Monday.
He did not specify how the humanitarian assistance had reached Venezuela.
Meanwhile, local newspaper Nacional reported, citing sources, that this batch of humanitarian aid had been delivered to the Venezuelan capital of Caracas before Guaido proclaimed himself the country's interim president, and therefore had nothing to do with the assistance that is currently being accumulated in the collection center in the Colombian border city of Cucuta. According to Nacional, this portion of humanitarian aid had been delivered back in December, thanks to various non-governmental organizations and Venezuelan military.
While the Venezuelan opposition announced last week its plans to hold an international conference for attracting humanitarian aid to Venezuela in Washington on Thursday, the government of incumbent President Nicolas Maduro firmly opposes any aid from abroad, stressing that there is no humanitarian crisis in the country and pledging to prevent foreign intervention.
Tensions in Venezuela escalated when Guaido, the head of the opposition-led parliament, declared himself interim president on January 23, disputing Maduro's re-election, which took place last year. Guaido's declaration was almost immediately recognized by the United States and some of its allies. EU states were expected to issue a joint statement recognizing Guaido, but Italy vetoed the motion.
Russia, China, Mexico, Turkey, Uruguay and several other states have said that they supported Maduro as the legitimate president.
