Venezuelan gov't, opposition hold rival concerts over aid dispute

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Pro- and anti-government concerts were held near the Venezuela-Colombia border on Friday over the dispute regarding delivery of humanitarian aid to Venezuela.

A three-day pro-government concert called by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to rival a charity music festival organized by British entrepreneur Richard Branson began on Friday with declarations of loyalty to the socialist leader.

Hours after billionaire Branson's "Venezuela Aid Live" drew hundreds of people to catch a glimpse of international stars including Spanish Grammy Award winner Alejandro Sanz and Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi, Maduro's concert began in more modest circumstances.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attends a commemorative event to mark the Bicentennial of the Angostura Congress at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, February 15, 2019. /VCG Photo

On the Tienditas border bridge several hundred meters from Branson's concert, around 2,500 people gathered around a stage bearing a screen with the message: "For war, non-one."

A line-up of Venezuelan and Cuban artists took to the stage against a giant backdrop emblazoned with the words "#Trump Hands off Venezuela."

"I'm here to support President Nicolas Maduro because we're always loyal, never traitors," said Andrea Escalante, a young man wearing a T-shirt bearing the image of Maduro's predecessor Hugo Chavez, his left fist thrust into the air.

Branson's concert aims to raise millions of dollars in aid to support the push by opposition leader Juan Guaido to bring in food and medicine for a population suffering shortages of basic necessities.

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Maduro has denied there is a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. He has declared the country's southern border with Brazil closed and threatened to do the same with the Colombian border. On Friday night, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez announced the closing of three bridges connecting Colombia.

According to local media, at least two people were killed and several others injured in clashes near Venezuela's border with Brazil on Friday.

3.4 million refugees, migrants

The number of refugees and migrants from Venezuela worldwide now stands at 3.4 million, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration, IOM, said Friday.

The UN agencies in a statement cited data from national immigration authorities and other sources, noting that countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are hosting an estimated 2.7 million Venezuelans, while other regions account for the rest.

Humanitarian aid for Venezuela in Cucuta, Colombia, February 21, 2019. /VCG Photo

The U.S. could announce new sanctions to pressure Maduro as early as next week unless his military defies orders to block convoys of humanitarian aid planned for this weekend, a senior administration official said on Friday. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and other leaders in the Western Hemisphere will meet in Bogota on Monday.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said Friday that his government wants to have peace with the U.S. and hopes to sit down at the table with the opposition.

"We want peace with the United States ... we want mutual respect between both of us," Arreaza said at a press conference at the UN headquarters.

The foreign minister said that he would be very pleased to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington, or perhaps in New York.

Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido gestures at the crowd during the "Venezuela Aid Live" concert in Cucuta, Colombia, February 22, 2019. /VCG Photo

Warns against intervention

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday accused the U.S. and its NATO allies of discussing how to arm the opposition in Venezuela and alleged Washington was deploying special forces and equipment near the South American nation.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said a U.S. humanitarian aid convoy for Venezuela could provoke clashes and create a pretext for removing President Maduro by force.

A senior U.S. administration official called the assertion a "senseless accusation" distributed by Russia as "propaganda."

Meanwhile, a senior South African government official on Friday stressed the need to ensure that Venezuela's internal affairs are free from outside interference.

"South Africa has maintained its principled position of calling on some countries and regional groups not to interfere in the internal processes of a sovereign state or to be used as a tool for unconstitutional changes of government," said Luwellyn Landers, deputy minister of international relations and cooperation, at a public lecture in Cape Town.

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Also on Friday, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it opposes military intervention in Venezuela and any actions that may lead to tension or unrest in the country, warning "severe consequences" if violence breaks out during the delivery of humanitarian aid.

(With inputs from agencies)

(Cover: Hundreds of people attend the "Venezuela Aid Live" anti-Maduro concert in Cucuta, Colombia, February 22, 2019. /VCG Photo)

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