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On February 17th, self-proclaimed expert on Venezuela policy Senator Marco Rubio visited Cucuta, at the Colombian-Venezuelan border.
I arrived in #Colombia this morning. Today another huge delivery of humanitarian aid for #Venezuela will arrive. I will be meeting with officials leading the effort to store this at the border & prepare it for delivery to the suffering people of #Venezuela. #EstamosUnidosVE
— Senator Rubio Press (@SenRubioPress) February 17, 2019
In his visit he spoke to many members of “the democratically elected National Assembly” and visited many sights in their company.
He also posted a video standing in front of the containers blocking the Tienditas Bridge, calling Maduro’s government a terrorist regime.
At the border with @MarioDB & @AmbCTrujillo. Those containers behind us were put there by a terrorist, criminal regime. It isn't going to work. Food and medicine will reach the people of #Venezuela. pic.twitter.com/mbw6QIIIAe
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) February 17, 2019
Later in the day, Rubio told CNN’s Ana Cabrera that “The aid is going to get through. I think ultimately the question is whether it gets through in a way that he’s cooperative with or in a way that he’s not.”
He also condemned Maduro’s government and reiterated his support for US-proclaimed Interim President Juan Guaido.
“There’s no way you’re going to stand, ultimately, in the way of a people whose children are starving to death, whose families are dying in hospitals because of preventable diseases,” Rubio said. He said the top priority is to get food and medicine to people who are dying “because the regime and the dictator does not allow humanitarian aid to reach them.”
“It is a crime against humanity to deny food and medicine to unarmed and innocent civilians,” Rubio said.
Also on February 17th, Reuters reported that Russian Gazprombank decided to freeze the accounts of Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA and halted transactions with the firm to reduce the risk of falling under US sanctions.
“PDVSA’s accounts are currently frozen. As you’ll understand, operations cannot be carried out,” the anonymous source said.
PDVSA’s twitter account posted that the news was fake.
?#FakeNews #PDVSA desmiente informaciones mal intencionadas que pretenden confundir al pueblo venezolano, es #FALSO pic.twitter.com/Q6yxwq2Gt4
— PDVSA (@PDVSA) February 17, 2019
Meanwhile, a six-member European delegation that was invited by Juan Guaido to Venezuela was expelled from the country.
Be aware!Our passports have been taken and we’re being expelled from Venezuela. Bad manners and the only explanation is Maduro doesn’t want us here.
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
If expulsion happens, it should be the final proof that options are over, and the EU shall withdraw from the Contact Group. Spain too
— González Pons (@gonzalezpons) February 17, 2019
The European MPs arrived in Venezuela on February 17th and were supposed to stay in the country until February 19th to carry out a series of meetings, including with Guaido, the leader of the opposition recognized by a number of European governments as the legitimate leader of Venezuela.
The “International Contact Group” comprising the EU as a bloc, eight European and four Latin American countries was set up early February to push for snap elections in Venezuela. In a joint statement with Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez, the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini stated that the group aims to contribute to “a political and peaceful process” allowing Venezuelans to “determine their future.”
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said that the parliamentarians had been warned they would not be let into the country “several days ago” through “official diplomatic channels.”
Por vías oficiales diplomáticas, las autoridades del Gobierno Bolivariano de Venezuela le notificaron hace varios días al grupo de eurodiputados que pretendía visitar el país con fines conspirativos, que no serían admitidos y se les instó a desistir y evitar así otra provocación
— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) February 18, 2019
“The Constitutional Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela will not allow the European extreme right to disturb the peace and stability of the country with another of its gross interventionist actions.”
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