Maduro Closes Venezuela's Border With Brazil; Relief Operation Continues

Brazil will store the supplies in Roraima's side of the border until they can be picked up by Venezuelan trucks

Brasília

The Venezuelan government announced it would be closing its land borders with Brazil on Thursday (21st), in an attempt to transportation the entry of food and medications from the Brazilian relief operation, scheduled for Saturday.

The border would be closed at 9 pm, said president Nicolás Maduro regime. Roraima's governor Antonio Denaruim (PSL) said that the border was closed at 3 pm, but the federal government didn't confirm the information. 

\Aerial view of the Tienditas Bridge, in the border between Cucuta, Colombia and Tachira, Venezuela, after Venezuelan military forces blocked it ahead of an anticipated humanitarian aid shipment. - AFP

"Better safe than sorry," said Maduro when announcing the border closing.

The federal government is treating the matter as retaliation against authorizing that Maduro's opposition to bringing food and supplies back to Venezuela.

Sources close to the president say that Maduro's goal is to discourage Brazil to go ahead with the plan.
But president Bolsonaro decided to keep the relief operation as it is. The government will keep the food and medical supplies in warehouses in Boa Vista and Paracaima, in Roraima, until Venezuelans come to pick them up. The question is how they will do that with closed borders.

Translated by NATASHA MADOV

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