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A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 9 February 2019

Volunteers ready US aid set for Venezuela as Maduro digs in

By CHRISTINE ARMARIO and ton and “ready to be de-
SCOTT SMITH ployed to the region imme-
Associated Press diately,” the U.S. said in a
CUCUTA, Colombia (AP) — statement.
Dozens of volunteers pre- “We expect more to
pared sacks of rice, canned come,” U.S. Ambassador to
tuna and protein-rich bis- Colombia Kevin Whitaker
cuits for malnourished chil- said. “This is a down pay-
dren at a warehouse on ment.”
the Colombian border on Asked what would happen
Friday as Venezuela’s op- if the Venezuelan military
position vowed to deliver blocks the aid from going
the U.S. humanitarian aid to in, Whitaker said any ob-
their troubled nation, even stacles would be dealt with
if it means mounting a mass as they arise and reiterated
mobilization of their coun- that Trump has made clear
trymen to carry it in. nothing is off the table —
As the food and hygiene though, he added, the pri-
kits were packed into in- ority is to arrange a broad
dividual white bags in the international mission.
city of Cucuta, just across Whitaker said the U.S. in-
the river from Venezuela, A Venezuelan volunteer places a bag of USAID humanitarian aid for storage at a warehouse volvement stops at the Co-
U.S. officials and Venezu- next to the Tienditas International Bridge, near Cucuta, Colombia, on the border with Venezuela, lombian border, where the
elan opposition leaders Friday, Feb. 8, 2019. Guaido-led opposition will
appealed to the military to Associated Press be charged with distribut-
the let the aid through. this aid is with the Venezu- the aid is stationed and shipments of humanitarian ing the aid inside Venezu-
Lester Toledo, who is repre- elan people,” Toledo said Maduro is refusing to allow aid from countries around ela, a seemingly tall task as
senting opposition leader at a press event unveiling it in. the world. Maduro shows no signs of
Juan Guaido in the aid the aid. “People, people The embattled Venezuelan Opposition leaders said conceding.
mission, issued a message and more people bringing leader dug in further Friday, three countries in the re- Opposition leader Jose
to troops, telling them the in humanitarian aid.” contending the aid is part gion will become aid hubs Manuel Olivares, who is in
aid contains food and The emergency supplies of a coup being orchestrat- and that some nations, like Cucuta helping coordi-
medicine their own families have become the focus ed by the U.S. government. Colombia, will likely have nate the aid mission, said
need. He recalled how in of Venezuela’s political “There’s an attempt to more than one collection the idea floated by Toledo
2016, a large group of Ven- struggle between President violate our national sover- site. to use a mass mobilization
ezuelan women dressed in Nicolas Maduro and Guai- eignty with this ‘show’ of a The first shipment includes of people to get the aid
white and intent on cross- do, who declared interim humanitarian operation by food kits for 5,000 Venezu- across the border is one of
ing the closed border with presidential powers in late the government of Donald elans and high-protein nu- the strategies being consid-
Colombia made their way January, accusing Maduro Trump,” he said. tritional supplements that ered.
through a line of national of being illegitimate follow- The goods, including pack- can treat an estimated “The aid is going to be
guardsmen in order to buy ing an election last year aged corn flour, lentils and 6,700 young children with backed by popular sup-
food on the other side. widely viewed as a sham. pasta, arrived Thursday in moderate malnutrition. port, by hundreds and
“I am convinced that the The Venezuelan military has what the opposition is hop- Additional aid is being thousands of people who
way we are going to pass blocked the bridge where ing will be the first of many stored in Miami and Hous- need it,” he said.q

Ex-Miss Costa Rica is latest to accuse Arias of sexual abuse

By JAVIER CORDOBA, As- case accrues to the com- allegations emerged, his
sociated Press plaint filed Monday since it lawyer Erick Ramos has
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) involves a single accused declined to comment fur-
— A former Miss Costa Rica person and apparent ther, citing the pending le-
has become the second crimes of the same nature.” gal case. According to the
woman to make a criminal At least five women have partial images of the sec-
complaint against Nobel accused Arias of actions ond complaint, the woman
Peace Prize laureate and ranging from unwelcome was invited to Arias’ home
ex-President Oscar Arias, in fondling or sexual innuendo during Easter Week 2015
the latest of mounting al- to sexual assault. In the first after he had sent her friend
legations of sexual miscon- criminal complaint, the for- requests on Facebook and
duct to emerge this week. mer president is accused of offered her a copy of a
The woman alleges that groping, kissing and pen- book he wrote. Escri-Vien-
Arias grabbed her, groped etrating a female peace do also posted an image of
her and kissed her against In this Nov. 13, 2015 file photo, Costa Rican 1987 Nobel peace activist with his fingers at his the book’s title page with a
her will at his home in 2015, laureate and former president of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, looks home in 2014. Arias denied handwritten inscription to
at the media during the opening ceremony of the XV World
according to partial photos Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates at the University in Barcelona, wrongdoing after the initial her signed in Arias’ name.
of the complaint published Spain. complaint surfaced, say- AP policy is not to name
late Thursday by Escri-Vien- Associated Press ing he has never violated alleged victims of sexual
do, a Facebook page ded- firmed its existence Friday, complaint against Mr. Arias any woman’s will and has crimes or abuse unless they
icated to entertainment telling The Associated Press Sanchez for the presumed fought for gender equality choose to identify them-
news. Prosecutors con- they had “received a new crime of sexual abuse. The during his career. As more selves publicly. q