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A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 25 February 2019

Maduro opponents boost military rhetoric in Venezuela crisis

By JOSHUA GOODMAN repeated appeals and the
CHRISTINE ARMARIO offer of amnesty to those
CUCUTA, Colombia (AP) joining the opposition's
— Opposition leader Juan fight for power. "How many
Guaido has called on the of you national guardsmen
international community have a sick mother? How
to consider "all options" to many have kids in school
resolve Venezuela's crisis, a without food," he implored
dramatic escalation in rhet- Saturday night, standing
oric that echoes comments next to a warehouse where
from the Trump administra- 600 tons of food and medi-
tion hinting at potential U.S. cine have been stockpiled
military involvement. on the Colombian border.
Guaido's comments late "You don't owe any obedi-
Saturday came after a ence to a sadist ... who cel-
tumultuous day that saw ebrates the denial of hu-
President Nicolas Maduro's manitarian aid the country
forces fire tear gas and needs." Maduro has deftly
buckshot on activists try- courted support from the
ing to deliver humanitarian military since becoming
aid in violent clashes that president in 2013, offering
left two people dead and top commanders key posts
some 300 injured. Colombian soldiers arrive to the Simon Bolivar International Bridge in La Parada, near Cucuta, in his cabinet, including the
For weeks, the U.S. and Colombia, on the border with Venezuela, early Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019. presidency of state-run oil
regional allies had been Associated Press giant PDVSA, the source of
amassing emergency food virtually all of Venezuela's
and medical kits on Vene- Secretary of State Mike in the region during the her family after Maduro or- dollar earnings.
zuela's borders in anticipa- Pompeo has also stepped Cold War remain an open dered a partial closure of More than 100 members of
tion of carrying out a "hu- up the belligerent rhetoric, wound. the border two days earlier. the security forces, most of
manitarian avalanche" by saying on CNN's "State of "These governments know "We're with fear, dear God, them lower-rank soldiers,
land and sea to undermine the Union" on Sunday that they would face a huge of what will happen," she deserted and took refuge
Maduro's rule. Maduro's "days are num- tide of internal opinion said standing near the inside Colombia during Sat-
With activists failing to pen- bered." greatly offended by a dirt trail she took to sneak urday's unrest, according to
etrate government block- A close Guadio ally, Julio US-led invasion for histori- across the border. "More migration officials. But none
ades and deliver the aid, Borges, the exiled leader of cal and political reasons," blood, more deaths. The of them was higher ranked
Guaido announced late congress who is Guaido's said Ivan Briscoe, the Latin president of Venezuela than a National Guard ma-
Saturday that he would ambassador to the Lima America director for the does whatever he wants." jor, and there's been little
escalate his appeal to the Group, was even more ex- Crisis Group, a Belgium- In addition to weaken- suggestion any battalion or
international community plicit in urging a military op- based think tank. ing multilateral pressure division commanders are
— beginning with a meet- tion. "We are going to de- At the same time, though against Maduro, analysts willing to defect despite al-
ing Monday in Colombia's mand an escalation of dip- polls show Venezuelans say the opposition saber most daily calls by Guaido
capital with U.S. Vice Presi- lomatic pressure ... and the overwhelmingly want Mad- rattling also risks undermin- and the U.S.
dent Mike Pence on the use of force against Nicolas uro to resign, almost an ing Guaido's goal of peel- To be sure, there's no indi-
sidelines of an emergency Maduro's dictatorship," he equal number reject the ing off support from the mil- cation the U.S. is planning a
summit of leaders of the so- said Sunday. possibility of a foreign inva- itary, the country's crucial military invasion and Trump
called Lima Group to dis- It's a prospect that ana- sion to resolve the political powerbroker. has made a habit of threat-
cuss Venezuela's crisis. lysts warn risks fracturing a impasse. The 35-year-old Guaido ening friends and foes alike
He said he would urge the hard-won coalition of Latin Resting at the foot of the Si- has won the backing of — China, North Korea and
international community American nations who've mon Bolivar bridge as work more than 50 governments Canada among them
to keep "all options open" come together to pressure crews in Colombia began around the world since — only to dial back the
in the fight to restore Ven- Maduro's socialist govern- removing debris left by the declaring himself interim rhetoric down the road.
ezuela's democracy, using ment. Most Latin American unrest, Claudia Aguilar said president at a rally in Janu- Washington still has more
identical language to that governments, even con- she would support a mili- ary, arguing that Maduro's diplomatic tools available,
of President Donald Trump, servative ones like those in tary invasion but worries it re-election last year was il- including extending oil
who in his public state- neighboring Colombia and would lead to more blood- legitimate because some sanctions to punish non-
ments has repeatedly re- Brazil, are on the record shed. popular opposition can- American entities that con-
fused to rule out force and opposing a military solution The 29-year-old pregnant didates were barred from duct business with Madu-
reportedly even secretly and would face huge dis- mother of three said she running. ro's government in much
pressed aides as early as sent should they back any crossed illegally into Co- But he's so far been un- the way such sanctions
2017 about the possibility of military action led by the lombia on Sunday to buy able to cause a major rift strangled communist Cuba
a military incursion. U.S., whose interventions a bag of rice and pasta for inside the military, despite for decades.q