US Aid Deliveries to Venezuela Pursuing Political Goals - Foreign Minister

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said that the deliveries of humanitarian aid to Venezuela were pursuing political goals.

"The agencies of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross are not taking part in the US-Colombian show on the [Venezuelan] border due to a certain reason: it is absolutely clear that this operation has political goals and could not be described as humanitarian," Arreaza wrote on his Twitter page.

The Venezuelan opposition earlier announced that the delivery of humanitarian aid to the country would begin on Saturday. The country's president Nicolas Maduro said that he completely closed the land border with Brazil, home to one of hubs for humanitarian aid, and is considering the possibility of closing the border with Colombia, saying the aid deliveries are a ploy to topple his government.

READ MORE: 'I'm Governing and Will Continue Governing’ Venezuela — Maduro

The situation in crisis-torn Venezuela escalated on January 23 when the opposition leader, Juan Guaido, declared himself interim president, disputing last year's re-election of Maduro. Guaido was almost immediately recognized by the United States and some other countries. Russia, China, Mexico, among other nations, voiced support for Maduro, who, in turn, accused Washington of orchestrating a coup.