The self-proclaimed interim president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, asked February 4 the country’s armed forces to permit the opening up of a “humanitarian channel” to ensure assistance for the Venezuelan people. The request follows last weekend’s mass demonstrations in support of both Guaidó or Nicolás Maduro. On the same day, the Lima Group met to reaffirm its support for Guaidó. New demonstrations are expected for next February 12.

“If the necessary help does not come in the country, we will be condemning many people,” Guaidó said. The public official urged the members of the armed forces to collaborate in establishing a humanitarian channel to allow the entry of food and drugs. The governments of the United States, Canada and Germany have announced that they will send over USD 30 million in aid in the coming weeks.

During the weekend demonstrations, Maduro repeated his willingness to call fresh legislative elections in order to ratify popular support for his government. Guaidó rejected this. At the same time, Guaidó thanked the Venezuelan people for their efforts in the demonstrations in January and called for them to continue to do so, since February “will be decisive in taking Maduro out of power”.

At the international level, the Lima Group, a regional institution made up of countries such as Argentina, Canada, Brazil, Peru and Colombia, met in Ottawa, Canada, to discuss the situation in Venezuela. The participants published a statement in which they affirm their support for Guaidó and call for the armed forces to back him.