Replies to post #309417 on Tornado Alley (PROG)

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Venezuela crisis: Border with Colombia reopens after four months

"Guaido´’s Make or Break Moment"

6 hours ago

Venezuela crisis - https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cp3mvpm3933t/venezuela-crisis


EPA
Many Venezuelans crossed the border to buy basic goods

Thousands of Venezuelans have crossed into Colombia to buy food, medicine and other essentials after the border between the two countries was reopened.

The crossing was closed in February at President Nicolás Maduro's request as opposition leader Juan Guaidó prepared to bring in US-backed humanitarian aid.

The country has faced shortages of basic supplies as a result of a severe years-long economic crisis.

More than four million people have fled Venezuela since 2015, UN agencies say.

The borders with Colombia, Brazil and Dutch Antilles islands were closed as the opposition organised the delivery of foreign aid, which was denounced by Mr Maduro as part of an effort to remove him.

Last month, he announced the reopening of the border with Brazil and the island of Aruba, but the Aruba authorities said the border would remain closed.

Crisis explained in 300 words
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-48121148

How the political situation escalated
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-36319877

All you need to know about the crisis in nine charts
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-46999668

The closures caused problems for towns along the border that have come to rely on Colombian cities for essential products and services, and many people have crossed illegally, at times having to pay tolls to criminals controlling passage.

Announcing the reopening of the border on Twitter, Mr Maduro - who has blamed the country's crisis on a Washington-led economic war - said (in Spanish): "We're a people of peace that strongly defends our independence and self-determination ..

En ejercicio pleno de nuestra soberanía, he ordenado la apertura de los pasos fronterizos con Colombia en el Estado Táchira, a partir de este sábado #8Jun. Somos un pueblo de paz que defiende firmemente nuestra independencia y autodeterminación.

— Nicolás Maduro (@NicolasMaduro) June 7, 2019

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Continued - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-48570455