Venezuela crisis: Maduro to close border with Brazil

Maitrinews

Venezuela,feb 22.Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced he is closing the border with Brazil on Thursday night as a row over foreign humanitarian aid continues.

The embattled leftist leader went on TV to say that he was also considering shutting the border with Colombia to stop the opposition bringing in relief.

He denies any crisis and calls the aid delivery plans a US-orchestrated show.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó is leading a convoy to the Colombian border from the capital Caracas

Mr Guaidó declared himself interim leader during anti-government protests last month and is recognised by dozens of foreign states, including the US.

Scuffles broke out and tear gas was fired when the convoy of buses and cars was briefly stopped by security forces on a road near Mariara, west of Caracas, but they later moved on.

Meanwhile, after the closure of the border with Brazil was announced, many Venezuelans rushed across the frontier to the Brazilian city of Pacaraima to stock up on supplies

Queues of cars and people continued late into the evening, witnesses said.