From hyperinflation and unemployment to medical and food shortages, foreign policy experts and international aid groups are watching Venezuela closely to see what happens next
Kremlin officials and Russian state media portray Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro as the country’s legitimate leader, even though the United States and a host of other countries have declared him illegitimate and recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president
Many of the Venezuelans who cross the Simon Bolivar bridge each day between the city of Cucuta in Colombia and the state of Tachira in Venezuela ask, “What’s next?”
Soldiers deployed to a bridge connecting Venezuela with Colombia preventing humanitarian aid on the Colombian side, with a tanker and two large trucks getting stuck in the middle of the bridge
The possibility that President Donald Trump might resort to using military force to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is raising concerns about the potential cost in lives and unintended consequences of committing American troops to another foreign conflict
The United States has accused Venezuela’s former strongman Nicolas Maduro of blocking humanitarian aid to his desperately needy people. VOA’s Zlatica Hoke reports that while many call for Maduro to leave, he still enjoys the support of Cuba and Russia
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who last month was recognized by the U.S. as the acting president of Venezuela, talked to VOA’s Spanish service
The European countries want Venezuela to hold a presidential election as soon as possible to end its political and humanitarian crises
Guaido has rejected offers from Mexico’s and Uruguay’s presidents to negotiate with Maduro. Guaido told them in a letter that “to be neutral is to be on the side of the regime that has condemned hundreds of thousands of human beings to misery, hunger and exile, including death.”
Maduro remains dug in, blaming the White House for openly backing what he calls a coup to remove him from power and exploit his country’s vast oil wealth. He retains support from powerful allies, including Russia and China, but is growing increasingly isolated as more nations back Guaido