Brazil vows to deliver aid to Venezuela

Brazil says it will send humanitarian aid to its border with Venezuela by the weekend, despite the protests of embattled President Nicolás Maduro.

The distribution of the food and medicine from the northern Brazilian city of Boa Vista across the border will be in Venezuelan trucks driven by Venezuelan citizens organized by Guaidó, the spokesman said at a news conference.

"Brazil is taking part in this important international initiative to support the Guaidó government and the Venezuelan people," he said.

Maduro denies there is a crisis in Venezuela and calls the growing aid operation a US-orchestrated show.

Venezuela also closed its sea and air border with Curacao.

The Dutch Caribbean island, off Venezuela's north coast, is planning to host US aid.

The military has so far managed to block shipments of US aid from coming across the border with Colombia.

Maduro’s opponents are hoping the Venezuelan military on the border will disobey his orders to block the aid.

The government of Brazil’s new right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro has recognized Guaidó as the legitimate leader of Venezuela until elections can be held.

Despite having repeatedly denied the existence of a humanitarian crisis and having rejected US aid shipments as a ploy to topple his government, Maduro on Monday announced that 300 tonnes of aid would be shipped to Venezuela from Russia.

He said the shipment from its close ally would arrive in the South American nation on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's military has reaffirmed its support for President Maduro, rejecting a call by US President Donald Trump to switch allegiance to Guaidó.

Guaidó has said 600,000 volunteers have already signed up to help carry aid into the country on 23 February - the deadline he has set.

Maduro insists the planned deliveries of aid to Venezuela are a smokescreen for a US-led invasion.

The UN said more than three million Venezuelans have fled in recent years as the country grapples with hyperinflation and shortages of essentials like food and medicine.

Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has been criticized at home and abroad for his handling of the economy.

He has, however, retained the support of key allies who have helped bankroll the country's economy, including Russia and China.