President Trump said Thursday that U.S. aid supplies had gotten into Venezuela, despite the country’s authoritarian leader publicly refusing to allow shipments.
“We’re sending supplies, supplies are getting through a little bit more. It’s not easy,” Trump said during a press conference in Vietnam after nuclear summit talks failed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
It’s unclear to what degree supplies actually have reached Venezuela. Trump administration officials have complained about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro refusing to allow supplies to get through. Vice President Mike Pence visited neighboring Colombia this week, in part to push for aid acceptance.
The Trump administration and many regional countries recognize Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, the head of the country’s national assembly, as interim president following his declaration last month that he was in charge.
Last week, Maduro closed Venezuela’s borders to U.S.-supplied aid shipments from Brazil and Colombia, saying they were part of a coup attempt. Guaido initially claimed a shipment reached via Brazil, but the report was later questioned by AFP reporters who observed a truck halted at the border.
Protesters demanding that Maduro accept the aid have clashed with Venezuelan border guards and police.
Although Trump claimed supplies had reached the country, he acknowledged the conflict and condemned Maduro.
“Hard to believe somebody would say, ‘Let’s not do it.’ What difference would it make, except it’s great for his people to let it get through,” Trump said. “But we’re sending a lot of supplies down. People are starving to death. You would think the man in charge currently would let those get through. We’re getting them into some of the cities and some of the areas that need them the most. It’s very difficult, not an easy job.”
