63 Venezuelan troops DEFECT to opposition, two KILLED in clashes at Colombian border

by SooperMexican

Things are heating up again in Venezuela as Maduro tries to block people from getting food and other supplies because it might weaken him politically.

It’s being reported that a few troops defected to the opposition:

At least five Venezuelan troops have abandoned their posts at the country’s border with Colombia as confrontations with protesters over incoming humanitarian aid grow more violent by the day.

The soldiers abandoned their watch on Saturday near the Simon Bolivar International Bridge at the Venezuela-Colombian border and reportedly requested assistance from Colombian immigration officials. In nearby Urena, the Venezuelan National Guard fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters attempting to cross the border in order to work, BBC reports. Protesters were seen throwing rocks at troops and attacking buses.

There’s this insane video of trucks barreling through the barricades, and I’m not sure if they are connected with the defections or are other violent acts by the Maduro troops:

Here’s more scenes of the chaos:

Guaido, the guy the U.S. recognizes as Venezuela’s president, is trying to get aid to Venezuelans but Maduro is doing everything he can to prevent that:

Rising tensions have erupted amid opposition leader and self-declared President Juan Guaido’s decision to lead a caravan with thousands of volunteers to the Colombian border to collect at least 200 tons of humanitarian aid, primarily food and medicine. On Saturday, Guaido announced that the first shipment of aid had crossed the border from Brazil, calling it a “great achievement.” That statement, however, has been refuted by news that two trucks carrying aid from Brazil are stuck at the Venezuelan border.

Pretty awful. At this point, it is a failed state and a humanitarian crisis and I have absolutely no problem with the U.S. doing what it can to topple Maduro and try to help return the state to some kind of sanity.

Rubio’s twitter feed is an excellent source of news about the altercation:

He’s reporting way more people are defecting:

Pray for Venezuela.

UPDATE:

Rubio now says 63 Venezuelan security officials have defected:


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