Venezuelan Opposition Leader Guaido Arrives at Colombia's Cucuta - Reports

Earlier, British billionaire Richard Branson backed the fundraising show, scheduled for 22 February in the Colombian border city of Cucuta.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader Juan Guaido has appeared in Colombia's Cucuta despite ban to travel abroad by Venezuelan court, Nacional reported. According to sources, Guaido arrived in a helicopter at a fundraising concert in Colombia backed by UK billionaire Richard Branson.

Later, Guaido claimed he had managed to go to Colombia with the support of Venezuelan servicemen.

"Everyone is asking how we managed to arrive… We are here because the armed forces have also been engaged in this process. We arrived in Colombia in search of assistance. This does not mean giving alms, but recognizing that there is a crisis," Guaido told reports in the Colombian border city of Cucuta.

Political situation in Venezuela has become especially tense on 23 January, when Guaido declared himself interim president and was almost immediately recognised by Washington and its allies. Russia, China, Mexico, among other nations, stated that they recognise Maduro as Venezuela’s only legitimate president and called for dialogue.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido set February 23 as the date for bringing in US relief aid that had been collected at logistics hubs in Brazil's Roraima, Colombia's Cucuta and on the Caribbean island of Curacao.

READ MORE: Roger Waters Scolds Richard Branson-Backed Live Aid-Style Concert for Venezuela

President Nicolas Maduro said during televised comments that Venezuela would close the border with Brazil and was considering closing the border with Colombia, saying that the US and its allies were using "the pretext of delivering humanitarian aid" to try to "destroy the independence and sovereignty of the country."