South America

CUCUTA, Colombia (AP) — Venezuela’s National Guard fired tear gas on residents clearing a barricaded border bridge between Venezuela and Colombia on Saturday, heightening tensions over blocked humanitarian aid that opposition leader Juan Guaido has vowed to bring into the country over objections from President Nicolas Maduro.

The opposition is calling on masses of Venezuelans to help trucks carrying the nearly 200 metric tons of humanitarian assistance delivered largely by the United States over the last two weeks across several border bridges in Colombia.

LA PAZ, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales warned Friday that any intervention in Venezuela "will only bring war."

"We expect deep reflection for life and humanity; any type of intervention will only bring war. There will not be peace without social justice and without respect to the sovereignty of the people," Morales wrote on his Twitter account.

In another message on Twitter, Morales warned that the humanitarian aid from the U.S. to Venezuela is a "Trojan horse" as a means to invade and provoke a war.

CARACAS, February 22. /TASS/. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido published a decree on Thursday to allow humanitarian assistance into the Bolivarian Republic.

"As a commander-in-chief of the Bolivarian Armed Forces, I again confirm the permission for humanitarian assistance’s entry into Venezuela and order certain units of the Armed Forces to act in line with this permission," the document says.

CARACAS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The United States is blocking Venezuelan state funds to be used on treating children with cancer or kidney problems due to its economic and financial sanctions, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday.

The U.S. government denied a request from Venezuela to access funding for medical treatments, which were normally channeled via state oil firm PDVSA and its U.S.-based subsidiary Citgo, said Rodriguez.

MEXICO CITY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Mexico's fight against rampant fuel theft is expected to save the government nearly 50 billion pesos (2.6 billion U.S. dollars) in losses this year, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Thursday.

"We were able to considerably reduce the theft of fuel. If we continue on this path, we could save close to 50 billion pesos, money that belongs to the people and will be returned to the people through benefits of all types," the president said at a press conference.

CARACAS, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday ordered the country's southern border with Brazil be sealed off.

"I have decided: in south Venezuela, starting at 8 p.m. today Thursday Feb. 21, the land border with Brazil will be totally and absolutely closed," said Maduro.

The measure will be in effect until further notice, the president said during a meeting with the high command of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces.

The move comes amid what he called "provocation" from Brazil's right-wing government.

CARACAS, February 21. /TASS/. The US government plans to use the territory of Caribbean countries to stage illegal operations aimed at overthrowing the Venezuelan government, the Latin American country's foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

CARACAS, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez said Wednesday that the country's internal order and proper protection of its borders are guaranteed.

Rodriguez made the remarks at a press conference when she was asked about whether incidents will occur during political and social activities slated for Feb. 23 on the border with Colombia.

CARACAS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's Minister of Culture Ernesto Villegas on Tuesday launched an international solidarity campaign with Venezuela in the country's capital Caracas, in response to intervention threats from the U.S. government.

The call is aimed at the expression of artists of the world in favor of peace and under the slogan "Trump hands off Venezuela."

Villegas called on artists from all over the world to "generate and disseminate content in solidarity with Venezuela, for peace in the Americas, against intervention and war."

19 Feb 2019; DW: US President Donald Trump called on the Venezuelan armed forces to back interim President Juan Guaido. Trump said he sought a peaceful transition of power in Venezuela, but that "all options" remained open.

US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his commitment to Venezuela's interim President Juan Guaido and delivered a strong rebuke to socialism, in a speech he delivered on Monday in Miami.