Latin America

Anti-government protests have been sweeping across the Caribbean island nation for the past several days, with demonstrators referring to those currently in power there as Washington’s protégés.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Three US Air Force planes carrying humanitarian cargo for Venezuela have arrived in the Colombian border city of Cucuta, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Brazilian mining corporation Vale, the world's largest iron ore miner, announced Saturday the evacuation of about 200 people in the area near its mine's dam in the state of Minas Gerais as a precautionary measure after the recent deadly collapse of the nearby dam.

The deliveries of humanitarian aid are believed to be instrumental in ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

A ‘national emergency’ declared by the White House will see court challenges from New York and California, the two most populated US states, according to reports.

Venezuelan congressional chief and self-appointed interim president, Juan Guaido, must be acknowledged as such by the European Union, according to the US vice president.

Nicolas Maduro’s government earlier took a loan from the US finance giant with gold reportedly worth over $1 billion put as a guarantee. The loan is due to expire in March. If by that time the Latin American country, which is going through a major crisis and political turmoil, fails to repay it, then Citibank is entitled to keep the collateral.

Racism-related scandals might seem the latest trend for key players in the fashion world. After Dolce & Gabanna had to apologise to China over a controversial ad, the media giant CondeNast and the Brazilian edition of its world-famous brand have landed in hot water over racism accusations.

The embattled Venezuelan leader, who is being challenged by self –proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido, backed by the US, earlier suggested adopting a plan for permanent mobilisation of the country’s Armed Forces to guarantee “security and peace” in the face of an alleged military intervention by Colombia and the US.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Canada will evacuate 113 nationals from Haiti, who have been unable to return to their homeland as protests grip the Caribbean nation, Francois Legault, the prime minister of Canada’s eastern province of Quebec, said.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan opposition leader who has proclaimed himself the country’s interim president, announced the establishment of a new center for the collection of humanitarian aid for Venezuela in the US city of Miami.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN Samuel Moncada pushed back, during a special council meeting at the Organization of American States (OAS), against demands by the United States and its allies to hold elections and the bloc’s plans to deliver so-called humanitarian assistance.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday suggested that a plan for the permanent mobilisation of the Armed Forces to guard against a possible foreign intervention should be adopted.

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself the country’s interim president, called on the Venezuelan Armed Forces, supporting President Nicolas Maduro, to change sides, giving the military seven days to do so, in the anticipation of humanitarian aid arrivals to the crisis-hit country.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Officials from the State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) will be aboard a military aircraft that the United States is sending to the Venezuelan border on Saturday to deliver aid to the crisis-torn country, the department's Deputy Spokesperson Robert Palladino said.

Earlier, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stated resolutely that the country is no need of foreign humantitarian aid and is capable of coping with its domestic crisis on its own.

The eccentric billionaire slammed President Nicolas Maduro and promised a “wonderful line-up” at a concert that he is organising in the Colombian town of Cúcuta at the request of self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido. However, the call for donations by one of the world’s richest people has not resonated with netizens.

Previously, S&P Global Platts reported that the oil market would lose 370,000 barrels of crude oil per day due to the US sanctions against Venezuela.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova mocked on Friday US National Security Adviser John Bolton's tweet that threatened those who "destroy democracy" in Venezuela with "consequences", implying it was the United States itself that jeopardized Venezuelan democratic institutions.

The collective action follows weeks of pressure from the United States, backing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has declared himself the country’s interim president, and urging incumbent President Nicolas Maduro to step down.