25 February 2019•Update: 26 February 2019
By Servet Gunerigok
WASHINGTON
The United States on Monday announced it is sending nearly $56 million in humanitarian aid to Venezuela.
The announcement by State Department was made as Vice President Mike Pence is currently in Colombia to meet Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on the sidelines of the Lima Group summit to discuss the situation in Venezuela.
The aid aims to "support the regional response for the nearly 3.4 million Venezuelans who have fled Venezuela due to the political and economic crisis caused by [President] Nicolas Maduro," the department said in a statement.
The assistance will provide urgently needed shelter, food, medical services and livelihoods support that will help the integration of Venezuelans who have fled into host communities in the region, according to the statement.
"We support the courageous efforts and leadership of Interim President Guaido, National Assembly members, citizens, and partners in the region to deliver humanitarian assistance immediately to those in need inside Venezuela, and we will continue to work with them towards that goal," read the statement.
Since 2017, the U.S. has provided more than $195 million, including more than $152 million in humanitarian assistance and approximately $43 million in development and economic assistance.
"In addition, as announced by Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo on January 24, the United States is ready to provide more than $20 million in additional funding to support humanitarian assistance activities in Venezuela," the State Department said, adding that part of the funding would provide humanitarian supplies on the Colombia- and Brazil-Venezuela borders.
Guaido, who heads Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself interim president Jan. 23, a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries, following protests that had rocked the country.
Turkey, Russia, Iran, Cuba, China, and Bolivia reiterate support for Maduro, who vowed to cut all diplomatic and political ties with the U.S. following the diplomatic spat.
Maduro insists he is a victim of a U.S.-orchestrated coup amid spiraling economic and humanitarian crises in the country.
Venezuela is experiencing widespread shortages of food and medicine and has the highest inflation rate in the world, according to the International Monetary Fund.
