Venezuelan opposition to attempt 'aid' entry

By Lokman Ilhan

CUCUTA, Colombia (AA) - Venezuelan opposition figures said Thursday they would seek to secure U.S.-provided "humanitarian aid" as it crossed from Colombia into their country.

National Congress deputies Jose Manuel Olivares and Gaby Arellano told journalists in the Colombian frontier town of Cucuta that they would walk to the border at 9 a.m. local time (1400 GMT) on Saturday dressed in white to bring materials provided by USAID into Venezuela.

The deputies said they would not employ covert methods to bring in the aid but would use the three bridges connecting the two countries.

Olivares stressed that if Venezuelan border guards did not allow the packages through, they would be "playing with their own future".

Arellano added that no foreign forces would accompany the aid across the border and it would be carried solely by Venezuelans.

Aid packages were shown to journalists which were mainly comprised of food and personal hygiene products.

A row over humanitarian aid continues in the South American nation as the government refuses to let U.S. supplies in, saying it will lead to military intervention by Washington.

Self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido announced his followers on Saturday will try to force through convoys of U.S. aid from Colombia into Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said he would hold Colombian President Ivan Duque accountable for any violence on Feb. 23 -- the announced date for "aid" to the country.

Earlier, Brazil followed Colombia and announced it would send "humanitarian aid" to the border with Venezuela.

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez said Tuesday that troops remain on alert at the borders to guard against territorial violations, adding they would not take orders from other governments.

Venezuela has also closed its maritime border with three Dutch Caribbean islands -- Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire -- ahead of the "foreign aid" operation.

Guaido declared himself acting president on Jan. 23 until new elections are held and was recognized by Australia, Canada, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Panama, Argentina, Costa Rica and the U.S. The European Parliament took a step in the same direction.

Turkey, Russia, Iran, Cuba, China and Bolivia reiterated their support for Maduro, who vowed to cut all ties with the U.S. following the diplomatic spat.

U.S. President Donald Trump pointed to military intervention as a possibility among a number of choices he could use to help resolve the crisis.