Troops Barricade Bridge, Border Crossing To Stop Delivery Of Humanitarian Aid

The Venezuelan military has cut off access to border crossings in the west in an attempt to block the delivery of humanitarian aid from the U.S., reports the Daily Telegraph (London).

On Wednesday, troops and members of the national guard barricaded the Tienditas International Bridge, which links Urena, Venezuela, to the Colombian town of Cucuta, with a fuel tanker and two cargo containers.

A second crossing in Venezuela’s La Guajira department was also blocked, said the Colombian Foreign Ministry.

President Nicolas Maduro ordered the blockade to stop the delivery of US$20 million worth of U.S. humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies that was requested by Juan Guaido, the self-proclaimed interim president.

The opposition's proposed move to deliver the aid is widely seen as an effort to undermine Maduro's authority. The president has long used subsidized food as a way to maintain the loyalty of his supporters, said analysts cited by CNBC.

Tents and other logistical supplies have already arrived in Cucuta, but the majority of the 60-ton shipment remains in Bogota and will likely be delayed pending a negotiated agreement, local officials said.

Top U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton, have called for the Venezuelan military to remove the blockade and deliver the aid.