Venezuela's sitting president Nicolas Maduro broke relations with neighboring Colombia today amid ongoing clashes at several border crossings where the US-backed political opposition is trying to bring in humanitarian aid.
The unrest could presage a drawn-out conflict in the Opec country, where new US oil sanctions have accelerated a decline in crude production and exports.
Three trucks carrying aid had crossed into Ureña in the western Venezuelan state of Táchira this afternoon, only to erupt in flames as they were attacked by Venezuelan national police. Live fire and tear gas used by the police and paramilitaries injured numerous protesters.
Maduro accused Colombian president Ivan Duque of supporting a US-orchestrated coup led by opposition leader Juan Guaidó, whom the US, Canada and most of Latin America and the EU recognize as Venezuela´s interim president.
Ground zero for the humanitarian campaign is the Colombian border city of Cúcuta, where Duque, accompanied by Chile´s president Sebastián Piñera, Paraguay´s president Mario Abdo and Organization of American States (OAS) secretary general Luis Almagro, this morning reiterated a call on Venezuela´s military to let the aid through.
In his remarks, Duque said the "cowardly and dangerous dictatorship has activated gangs in some places to cause unrest and block the aid from reaching its territory, committing what could become serious crimes against humanity."
Around 23 Venezuelan national guards, special forces and police have defected so far today, but the vast majority continues to obey Maduro´s order to block the frontier.
Some aid trucks traversed the border with Brazil this morning, but tensions are running high there as well after clashes yesterday killed four members of the Pemon indigenous community in southern Venezuela. Around 29 others were injured.
Guaidó asserted that Maduro and his supporters were increasingly isolated. "They said the aid would not get in. The trucks crossed into the country," he tweeted this afternoon. "They said the people were on their side. They are alone and dozens of soldiers have abandoned them."
Maduro announced the immediate suspension of "all political and diplomatic relations" with Colombia and ordered all Colombian diplomatic personnel out of Venezuela within 24 hours.
Colombia´s foreign minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said today from Cúcuta that Colombia does not recognize Maduro´s legitimacy and "appreciates president Juan Guaidó´s invitation to the Colombian diplomats and consular officials to remain in Venezuelan territory" but for their safety Colombia will evacuate them from Venezuela as soon as possible.
Speaking at a loyalist rally in Caracas today, Maduro declared he will "never under any circumstances surrender, but always will defend our nation with my life if necessary."
He called on his loyal military and civilian supporters to take to the streets and defend the Bolivarian revolution "if something happens to me someday."
Speaking from the military high command headquarters in Caracas yesterday, Maduro said the opposition was trying to "weaken, divide and demoralize" the military and demanded loyalty.
In a Tweet this afternoon, US national security adviser John Bolton warned Venezuela's military to "Embrace democracy, protect civilians, and allow in humanitarian aid; or face even more sanctions and isolation."
Washington is the chief patron of the Venezuelan opposition movement, supplying most of the aid at border points in Colombia, Brazil and the Dutch Caribbean island Curacao. But the US administration is not showing signs of preparation to confront Maduro beyond using Twitter and official statements to implore members of his regime and the military to switch sides.
The International Committee of the Red Cross and other aid organizations have refused to take part in the campaign which they see as violating their commitment to political neutrality.
