The first shipment of humanitarian assistance from the Red Cross has made its way into Venezuela Tuesday.
The Maduro regime struck a deal with the organization to begin the protected flow of aid into the South American country.
The move signals a change in attitude for the Maduro regime, which has done everything in its power to block humanitarian assistance from U.S.-aligned countries and organizations entering through Colombia and Brazil. The aid provided by the Red Cross is intended to be distributed among hospitals and clinics across the country, particularly to facilities that have been battered by the nationwide power outages and lack basic medical equipment.
Miguel Pizarro, a lawmaker who supports U.S.-recognized leader of Venezuela Juan Guaidó, applauded the decision. He said Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro’s acceptance of the aid is a positive indicator that other humanitarian aid shipments held up at the border can begin to flow into some of Venezuela’s most desperate communities.
“The same people who had previously denied the arrival (of aid), who had previously brought this country to the verge of confrontation, are today complying with humanitarian principles,” Pizarro told a pool of reporters in Caracas.
According to Pizarro, the Red Cross will be in charge of the distribution’s logistics.
Venezuela remains engulfed in political and economic turmoil as Maduro is engaged in a power struggle with Guaidó, who has been recognized as the legitimate leader by many regional and international allies, including the U.S. and the European Union. The battle for power in Caracas has only exacerbated the national economy’s plunge, with Maduro’s government being hit with waves of international sanctions.
According to figures from the United Nations, nearly 25% of Venezuelans don’t have access to basic goods, such as a constantly supply of food, clothing, and basic hygienic products. Nearly 1.9 million people are suffering from malnutrition and another quarter million don’t have access to the medication they need.
