Russia Preparing New Batch Of Humanitarian Aid For Venezuela - Russian Ambassador

Russia is preparing a new batch of humanitarian aid for Venezuela, Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Vladimir Zaemskiy said in an interview with Sputnik

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th March, 2019) Russia is preparing a new batch of humanitarian aid for Venezuela, Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Vladimir Zaemskiy said in an interview with Sputnik.

On February 22, Caracas received around 7.5 tonnes of humanitarian cargo from Russia, including medicines, medical equipment and consumables. The Russian diplomat said back then that Russia, which supports the legitimate Venezuelan government, delivered this aid under the programs of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization.

"As part of these deliveries, one more batch of similar cargo is expected in near future. The question is now being discussed in the WHO headquarters in Geneva," Zaemskiy said.

Venezuela is currently going through a political crisis, which started in January, when lawmaker Juan Guaido was elected as the head of opposition-led National Assembly, whose authority has not been recognized by other government branches since 2016.

Soon after the Venezuelan Supreme Court annulled his designation, Guaido proclaimed himself the "interim president" of Venezuela.

Legitimate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on January 10, called Guaido's move an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.

On February 23, the Venezuelan opposition tried to force US-sponsored aid into Venezuela through its borders with Colombia and Brazil, both of which support the opposition. The failed attempt sparked clashes between Venezuelan security officers and pro-aid protesters. Maduro denounced the unauthorized aid delivery as part of Washington's attempts to intervene in Venezuela and oust him from power.