The speaker of the Venezuelan legislature, Juan Guaido, recognized by some 50 countries as the acting president of Venezuela, announced this Saturday a tour of the country and a giant rally in Caracas to assert his possession of the power held since 2013 by the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/venezuelas-maduro-blames-us-weapons-for-massive-blackout-202264">Chavista Nicolas Maduro</a>.

"Let all Venezuela come to Caracas, because we need everyone united. At this time I announce my tour of all Venezuela to bring everyone to Caracas to achieve our goal," he told a gathering of followers in the southwestern part of the capital.

He promised to announce the date and time of his visits to the more than 20 federal states of Venezuela just hours before his arrival, to avoid the roads getting "jammed."

"That's when we will announce the date when we will all come together in Caracas to make use of our chance (to take power)," he said to the cries of thousands of people urging him to take over the presidential palace of Miraflores.

Earlier in the day, an anti-riot squad tried to scatter the protesters with tear gas and cordons that impeded them from reaching Victoria Avenue, scene of this Saturday's rally.

Guaido had to use a megaphone to address the thousands of people who had remained since the early hours at the area of the rally after protesters weren't allowed to install the platform from which he was to give his speech.

EFE observed that at least 200 members of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) blocked access to the Francisco Fajardo Motorway, which connects the east and west of the capital, and kept the crowds from two other demonstrations from making even larger the one led by the opposition leader.

The militarized police also deployed 12 armoured cars which, however, were not used to repress the demonstration.

Guaido, meanwhile, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-15-dialysis-patients-die-in-venezuelas-blackout-ngo-202260">mentioned the power outage</a> that in some parts of the country has continued for 48 hours, and said that 16 states are still without electricity.

Some reports said that several states, where power had been reestablished after more than 30 hours without electricity, suffered another outage around 12:00 pm this Saturday.

The service had gradually been restored since Friday in the eastern and central states of Venezuela, though more than half the country has gone 48 straight hours without electricity.

"It's hard to say we're doing well when children die in our hospitals (for lack of electricity), and when our indigenous people are being massacred. We know what a crisis we're in and for that reason, we must keep fighting," he said.

He also warned that if the power outages continue, Venezuela could suffer a gasoline crisis.

Venezuela has been going through a time of severe political tension since last January, when Guaido cited certain articles of the Venezuelan Constitution to claim the authority to declare himself interim president of the nation, on grounds that Maduro had "usurped" the presidency.

The Chavista leader first took office in 2013 and was reelected last May in a controversial election that the opposition boycotted because it did not trust the honesty of Venezuela's current electoral system, with the result that the legitimacy of Maduro's second term is not recognized either by anti-Chavismo or by much of the international community.&nbsp;

The speaker of the Venezuelan legislature, Juan Guaido, recognized by some 50 countries as the acting president of Venezuela, announced this Saturday a tour of the country and a giant rally in Caracas to assert his possession of the power held since 2013 by the Chavista Nicolas Maduro.

The speaker of the Venezuelan legislature, Juan Guaido, recognized by some 50 countries as the acting president of Venezuela, announced this Saturday a tour of the country and a giant rally in Caracas to assert his possession of the power held since 2013 by the Chavista Nicolas Maduro. "Let all Venezuela come to Caracas, because we need everyone united. At this time I announce my tour of all Venezuela to bring everyone to Caracas to achieve our goal," he told a gathering of followers in the southwestern part of the capital. He promised to announce the date and time of his visits to the more than 20 federal states of Venezuela just hours before his arrival, to avoid the roads getting "jammed." "That's when we will announce the date when we will all come together in Caracas to make use of our chance (to take power)," he said to the cries of thousands of people urging him to take over the presidential palace of Miraflores. Earlier in the day, an anti-riot squad tried to scatter the protesters with tear gas and cordons that impeded them from reaching Victoria Avenue, scene of this Saturday's rally. Guaido had to use a megaphone to address the thousands of people who had remained since the early hours at the area of the rally after protesters weren't allowed to install the platform from which he was to give his speech. EFE observed that at least 200 members of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) blocked access to the Francisco Fajardo Motorway, which connects the east and west of the capital, and kept the crowds from two other demonstrations from making even larger the one led by the opposition leader. The militarized police also deployed 12 armoured cars which, however, were not used to repress the demonstration. Guaido, meanwhile, mentioned the power outage that in some parts of the country has continued for 48 hours, and said that 16 states are still without electricity. Some reports said that several states, where power had been reestablished after more than 30 hours without electricity, suffered another outage around 12:00 pm this Saturday. The service had gradually been restored since Friday in the eastern and central states of Venezuela, though more than half the country has gone 48 straight hours without electricity. "It's hard to say we're doing well when children die in our hospitals (for lack of electricity), and when our indigenous people are being massacred. We know what a crisis we're in and for that reason, we must keep fighting," he said. He also warned that if the power outages continue, Venezuela could suffer a gasoline crisis. Venezuela has been going through a time of severe political tension since last January, when Guaido cited certain articles of the Venezuelan Constitution to claim the authority to declare himself interim president of the nation, on grounds that Maduro had "usurped" the presidency. The Chavista leader first took office in 2013 and was reelected last May in a controversial election that the opposition boycotted because it did not trust the honesty of Venezuela's current electoral system, with the result that the legitimacy of Maduro's second term is not recognized either by anti-Chavismo or by much of the international community.

Opposition leader Guaido announces tour, giant rally to assert his power in Venezuela

The Venezuelan Congress with its opposition majority reported this Saturday that by 4:00 pm, four people had been slain while more than 20 suffered bullet wounds on Venezuela's border with Brazil, as the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/two-killed-as-venezuela-aid-showdown-turns-violent-199226">arrival of truckloads of humanitarian aid</a>, forbidden to enter the country by the Maduro government, stirred up conflict there.

"What happened on the border with Brazil wasn't ordinary repression...what occurred in the Venezuelan town of Santa Elena de Uairen was a massacre of the indigenous Pemon people, in which we know of four people killed and more than 20 with bullet wounds," lawmaker Juan Andres Mejia told a press conference.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-crisis-us-will-take-action-says-mike-pompeo-199230">US 'will take action', says Mike Pompeo</a>

This came soon after the speaker of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, who a month ago proclaimed himself interim president of the country, said that the first of two truckloads of humanitarian aid from Brazil had entered Venezuelan territory, despite the Nicolas Maduro government's order to close the border.

The triumph proved to be short-lived, however, when around 50 anti-Chavista demonstrators on the border began throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at a checkpoint of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), Venezuela's militarized police. Considering the conflict, the two trucks loaded with humanitarian aid retreated some distance back into Brazil.

As for Colombia, the other nation preparing to send humanitarian aid to the beleaguered Caribbean country, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Saturday that he is breaking off all political and diplomatic ties with the Colombian government, and gave Colombian officials 24 hours to get out of the country.

"My patience is exhausted, I can no longer bear it that the territory of Colombia lends itself to aggression against Venezuela, so I have decided to break off all political and diplomatic relations with the fascist government of Colombia," Maduro told the hundreds of his supporters who were out marching "in defense of the revolution."

He cried out that Colombian "ambassadors and consuls must leave Venezuela within 24 hours," and added, "oligarchy, get out...enough is enough." 
Though Maduro has closed the borders with Brazil and Colombia to keep out the humanitarian aid, not all members of the Bolivarian National Guard and police forces can be relied on to do his bidding.

"Today more than 60 unarmed members of the military, including several officers, have sought refuge in Colombia, showing the loss of confidence in Maduro's usurper regime," Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo told a press conference in Cucuta.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Juan Guaido expressed his gratitude this Saturday for the "backing of the international community" after two trucks loaded with humanitarian aid were set on fire on the Colombian border, and noted that this was a "crime against humanity."

Those two trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, ordered by the opposition, were burned Saturday by the Bolivarian National Police on the Venezuelan side of the Francisco de Paula Santander Bridge, which connects the country with Colombia, Venezuelan opposition lawmaker Gaby Arellano reported earlier.

In response, Guaido posted on his Twitter account that "we continue to receive the support of the international community, which has seen with its own eyes how the usurper regime violates the Geneva Convention, which clearly states that destroying humanitarian aid is a crime against humanity."

Guaido has been accepted as interim president by 50 nations including the United States and Brazil.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said this Saturday in a statement to EFE that Maduro "has no real power...nor has he any moral power, the only power he has is brute force."

On Friday the "Venezuela Aid Live" concert was held in Cucuta with the participation of 30 local and international artists to hail the arrival of humanitarian aid, and at which Guaido made a key appearance a month after proclaiming himself the interim president of Venezuela.

The Venezuelan Congress with its opposition majority reported this Saturday that by 4:00 pm, four people had been slain while more than 20 suffered bullet wounds on Venezuela's border with Brazil, as the arrival of truckloads of humanitarian aid, forbidden to enter the country by the Maduro government, stirred up conflict there.

The Venezuelan Congress with its opposition majority reported this Saturday that by 4:00 pm, four people had been slain while more than 20 suffered bullet wounds on Venezuela's border with Brazil, as the arrival of truckloads of humanitarian aid, forbidden to enter the country by the Maduro government, stirred up conflict there. "What happened on the border with Brazil wasn't ordinary repression...what occurred in the Venezuelan town of Santa Elena de Uairen was a massacre of the indigenous Pemon people, in which we know of four people killed and more than 20 with bullet wounds," lawmaker Juan Andres Mejia told a press conference. Also read: US 'will take action', says Mike Pompeo This came soon after the speaker of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, who a month ago proclaimed himself interim president of the country, said that the first of two truckloads of humanitarian aid from Brazil had entered Venezuelan territory, despite the Nicolas Maduro government's order to close the border. The triumph proved to be short-lived, however, when around 50 anti-Chavista demonstrators on the border began throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at a checkpoint of the Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), Venezuela's militarized police. Considering the conflict, the two trucks loaded with humanitarian aid retreated some distance back into Brazil. As for Colombia, the other nation preparing to send humanitarian aid to the beleaguered Caribbean country, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced Saturday that he is breaking off all political and diplomatic ties with the Colombian government, and gave Colombian officials 24 hours to get out of the country. "My patience is exhausted, I can no longer bear it that the territory of Colombia lends itself to aggression against Venezuela, so I have decided to break off all political and diplomatic relations with the fascist government of Colombia," Maduro told the hundreds of his supporters who were out marching "in defense of the revolution." He cried out that Colombian "ambassadors and consuls must leave Venezuela within 24 hours," and added, "oligarchy, get out...enough is enough." Though Maduro has closed the borders with Brazil and Colombia to keep out the humanitarian aid, not all members of the Bolivarian National Guard and police forces can be relied on to do his bidding. "Today more than 60 unarmed members of the military, including several officers, have sought refuge in Colombia, showing the loss of confidence in Maduro's usurper regime," Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo told a press conference in Cucuta. Meanwhile, opposition leader Juan Guaido expressed his gratitude this Saturday for the "backing of the international community" after two trucks loaded with humanitarian aid were set on fire on the Colombian border, and noted that this was a "crime against humanity." Those two trucks loaded with humanitarian aid, ordered by the opposition, were burned Saturday by the Bolivarian National Police on the Venezuelan side of the Francisco de Paula Santander Bridge, which connects the country with Colombia, Venezuelan opposition lawmaker Gaby Arellano reported earlier. In response, Guaido posted on his Twitter account that "we continue to receive the support of the international community, which has seen with its own eyes how the usurper regime violates the Geneva Convention, which clearly states that destroying humanitarian aid is a crime against humanity." Guaido has been accepted as interim president by 50 nations including the United States and Brazil. Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said this Saturday in a statement to EFE that Maduro "has no real power...nor has he any moral power, the only power he has is brute force." On Friday the "Venezuela Aid Live" concert was held in Cucuta with the participation of 30 local and international artists to hail the arrival of humanitarian aid, and at which Guaido made a key appearance a month after proclaiming himself the interim president of Venezuela.

4 People reported slain on Venezuela-Brazil border

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Opposition leader Guaido announces tour, giant rally to assert his power in Venezuela

4 People reported slain on Venezuela-Brazil border