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| Rival concerts pave way for Venezuela aid challenge | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Venezuela is bracing for a showdown this weekend between the government of Nicolás Maduro and the US-backed opposition which hopes to fracture military loyalties and undermine the authorities in Caracas by shipping food and medicine into the country. | Venezuela is bracing for a showdown this weekend between the government of Nicolás Maduro and the US-backed opposition which hopes to fracture military loyalties and undermine the authorities in Caracas by shipping food and medicine into the country. |
| Rival concerts along the Colombian border being held on Friday are paving the way for the more serious political and military challenge to authorities in Caracas on Saturday. That is the deadline set by Juan Guaidó, the self-declared interim president recognised by the US and many regional and European allies, for stockpiles of aid to enter Venezuela. | Rival concerts along the Colombian border being held on Friday are paving the way for the more serious political and military challenge to authorities in Caracas on Saturday. That is the deadline set by Juan Guaidó, the self-declared interim president recognised by the US and many regional and European allies, for stockpiles of aid to enter Venezuela. |
| The security forces have so far largely stood by Maduro, despite opposition efforts to win them over including offers of an amnesty, but their loyalties may be tested if large numbers of civilian volunteers try to import aid in defiance of the ban. | The security forces have so far largely stood by Maduro, despite opposition efforts to win them over including offers of an amnesty, but their loyalties may be tested if large numbers of civilian volunteers try to import aid in defiance of the ban. |
| Video shared by opposition figures heading to the border in a “caravan” from Caracas appeared to show armed national guard members at barricades were barely resisting when crowds pushed them aside so that buses could pass. | Video shared by opposition figures heading to the border in a “caravan” from Caracas appeared to show armed national guard members at barricades were barely resisting when crowds pushed them aside so that buses could pass. |
| 'They will torture you': ex-Venezuelan soldiers on the risk of defecting | 'They will torture you': ex-Venezuelan soldiers on the risk of defecting |
| Maduro has called the planned aid deliveries a “provocation”, barred their entry and sought relief supplies from Russia instead. He has blocked the border with Brazil and the maritime border with several islands, as well as ordering military and police units to reinforce crossings with Colombia. | Maduro has called the planned aid deliveries a “provocation”, barred their entry and sought relief supplies from Russia instead. He has blocked the border with Brazil and the maritime border with several islands, as well as ordering military and police units to reinforce crossings with Colombia. |
| Guaidó, of the Popular Will party, has re-energised an opposition that was fractured and ineffective for years, drawing vast crowds to rallies around the country and winning powerful international support from Washington and regional powers. | Guaidó, of the Popular Will party, has re-energised an opposition that was fractured and ineffective for years, drawing vast crowds to rallies around the country and winning powerful international support from Washington and regional powers. |
| Venezuela has been racked by hunger and medicine shortages for years and more then a 10th of its population has fled abroad so Guaidó has found a powerful way to channel discontent with the government into political action by organising shipments of much-needed aid. | Venezuela has been racked by hunger and medicine shortages for years and more then a 10th of its population has fled abroad so Guaidó has found a powerful way to channel discontent with the government into political action by organising shipments of much-needed aid. |
| Thousands of volunteers are expected to attempt to cross the border with aid from the Colombian city of Cúcuta on Saturday in a show of popular defiance. They will be facing security forces expected to be under strict orders to prevent the supplies coming through, regardless of who is carrying them. | Thousands of volunteers are expected to attempt to cross the border with aid from the Colombian city of Cúcuta on Saturday in a show of popular defiance. They will be facing security forces expected to be under strict orders to prevent the supplies coming through, regardless of who is carrying them. |
| Many analysts fear that will mean bloodshed, as the military has largely stayed loyal to the government although, in a political boost for the opposition, Chavez’s former spy chief turned against Maduro this week, denouncing him as dictator and calling for aid to pass. | Many analysts fear that will mean bloodshed, as the military has largely stayed loyal to the government although, in a political boost for the opposition, Chavez’s former spy chief turned against Maduro this week, denouncing him as dictator and calling for aid to pass. |
| Rocío San Miguel, a Caracas-based defence analyst, said: “It’s hard to see a situation this weekend that avoids the military stopping that aid from coming in. The military structures towards that border make it impossible that they will let that aid through.” | Rocío San Miguel, a Caracas-based defence analyst, said: “It’s hard to see a situation this weekend that avoids the military stopping that aid from coming in. The military structures towards that border make it impossible that they will let that aid through.” |
| By early Friday morning, there had been one death and several injuries reported after members of an indigenous community which supports Guaidó tried to stop a military convoy heading to the Brazilian border. One woman died from her wounds and 13 others were injured, according to local politician Jorge Perez. | By early Friday morning, there had been one death and several injuries reported after members of an indigenous community which supports Guaidó tried to stop a military convoy heading to the Brazilian border. One woman died from her wounds and 13 others were injured, according to local politician Jorge Perez. |
| On the Colombian border, opposition supporters desperate for change said they were undeterred by the threat of violence. “This is a dictatorship that has already taken everything from us, our food, our homes, our medicines,” said Rafael Alfonzo Silva, who had come to assist with logistics, having fled Venezuela two years ago. “They have nothing left to take.” | On the Colombian border, opposition supporters desperate for change said they were undeterred by the threat of violence. “This is a dictatorship that has already taken everything from us, our food, our homes, our medicines,” said Rafael Alfonzo Silva, who had come to assist with logistics, having fled Venezuela two years ago. “They have nothing left to take.” |
| Despite bellicose threats to the existing regime from American officials, including Donald Trump, Guaidó and his supporters have insisted they do not want a foreign military intervention or violence on the ground. | Despite bellicose threats to the existing regime from American officials, including Donald Trump, Guaidó and his supporters have insisted they do not want a foreign military intervention or violence on the ground. |
| “We are here because we have to ensure that humanitarian aid enters Venezuela, however that happens,” said Dignora Hernández, a legislator from the Vente Venezuela opposition party, who had also travelled to the border. “We are not talking about an intervention like the ones you see in films, with helicopters and planes landing, we are talking about authorising – according to the constitution – a peaceful mission to allow humanitarian aid to pass.” | “We are here because we have to ensure that humanitarian aid enters Venezuela, however that happens,” said Dignora Hernández, a legislator from the Vente Venezuela opposition party, who had also travelled to the border. “We are not talking about an intervention like the ones you see in films, with helicopters and planes landing, we are talking about authorising – according to the constitution – a peaceful mission to allow humanitarian aid to pass.” |
| Guaidó himself has not appeared for several days, as the opposition apparently play cat and mouse with authorities, making public announcements about events then changing plans at the last minute. | Guaidó himself has not appeared for several days, as the opposition apparently play cat and mouse with authorities, making public announcements about events then changing plans at the last minute. |
| Although much of the media focus has been on the Colombian border, where flows of migrants are high and the two planned concerts have drawn international attention, aid has been stockpiled in several other locations including the border with Brazil and the island of Curaçao. A ship loaded with supplies is also sailing from Puerto Rico. | Although much of the media focus has been on the Colombian border, where flows of migrants are high and the two planned concerts have drawn international attention, aid has been stockpiled in several other locations including the border with Brazil and the island of Curaçao. A ship loaded with supplies is also sailing from Puerto Rico. |
| The pro-Guaidó concert in Colombia has attracted major stars – including Maluma, Alejandro Sanz and Luis Fonsi, famous for the global hit Despacito – and at least two presidents – the leaders of Colombia and Chile – for a six-hour event that backers have compared to the 1985 Live Aid event in London and Philadelphia. | The pro-Guaidó concert in Colombia has attracted major stars – including Maluma, Alejandro Sanz and Luis Fonsi, famous for the global hit Despacito – and at least two presidents – the leaders of Colombia and Chile – for a six-hour event that backers have compared to the 1985 Live Aid event in London and Philadelphia. |
| Overnight and into Friday morning hundreds of Venezuelans streamed over the border to attend, many shouting Guaidó’s name or “Let Maduro fall”, as they approached the site. | Overnight and into Friday morning hundreds of Venezuelans streamed over the border to attend, many shouting Guaidó’s name or “Let Maduro fall”, as they approached the site. |
| Carlos Alvarez, 45, from the central town of Maracay, said: “I’m here to make history. We are done with this regime.” He slept on the street after crossing over on Thursday, fearing the border would be closed on Friday. | Carlos Alvarez, 45, from the central town of Maracay, said: “I’m here to make history. We are done with this regime.” He slept on the street after crossing over on Thursday, fearing the border would be closed on Friday. |
| There were reports that supporters had been bussed in from around the country to attend Maduro’s rival concert, held on the other side of the bridge that separates Colombia and Venezuela. | There were reports that supporters had been bussed in from around the country to attend Maduro’s rival concert, held on the other side of the bridge that separates Colombia and Venezuela. |
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