Venezuelan Government Closes Maritime, Air Borders With Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao - Source

Faizan Hashmi Published February 20, 2019 | 01:57 AM

CARACAS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th February, 2019) The Venezuelan government decided on Tuesday to close maritime and air borders with the�Dutch Antilles islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao amid the ongoing political crisis in the country, a military source told Sputnik.

"In accordance with instructions of the Supreme Command, captain of the ports in the state of Falcon Jose Goncalvez and head of the customs service of [the city of] Las Piedras Eduardo Gallardo were informed about closure of maritime and air border of the state with ABC islands [Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao]," the source said.

Exact reasons for the Venezuelan decision to close the borders with the Dutch Antilles remain unknown but it was made amid the Dutch plans to open a logistical hub for providing Venezuela with humanitarian aid on the island of Curacao.

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

Earlier in February, the United States delivered the first batch of humanitarian assistance for Venezuela to the aid collection center in Colombia's Cucuta. Maduro, however, refused to allow the convoy into the country, blasting it as a ploy to topple his government.