What's happening on the borders of Venezuela is anything but a humanitarian aid operation, according to DW's Astrid Prange. She says using aid for political purposes is abhorrent and dangerous.
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Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AP/F. Vergara
Let's first avoid any misunderstanding: Venezuela's population is without question in urgent need of aid. More and more people there are struggling just to exist; the supply chain of food and medicines has collapsed.
This makes it all the more appalling the way the interim president, Juan Guaido, and his supporters are abusing the provision of humanitarian aid as an instrument of power. Guaido may gain good TV publicity by being shown amidst packages of baby food, but it does not give him any political credibility.
Nicolas Maduro, who wields the power in Venezuela, is no more credible. Maduro, the successor to President Hugo Chavez who died in 2013, has systematically mismanaged the country. He has his political opponents arrested, has disempowered the parliament, which has been dominated by the opposition since 2015, and left the people to fend for themselves.
Both sides are now looking to use humanitarian aid to make up for political failure. For the sanctions that have been imposed on the Maduro regime by the US since 2015 have so far not led to the desired "success," i.e., the collapse of the "socialism of the 21st century."
Rather, they have led to the virtual collapse of Venezuela and pushed Maduro further and further toward Moscow and Beijing. Even though Maduro last week was still claiming that there was no hunger in Venezuela, he announced ahead of the showdown in Cucuta on February 23 that he was expecting a delivery of 300 tonnes (330 US tons) of aid supplies from Russia. Guaido is set to arrive at the border on Saturday to help volunteers transport tonnes of aid supplies into the crisis-ridden country.
DW's Astrid PrangeImage: DW/P. Böll
Russia is currently Venezuela's most important ally. Even while Hugo Chavez was president, the Kremlin delivered arms to the Venezuelan army. Caracas is also in debt to Moscow to the tune of €12 billion ($13.6 billion). As security for the loans, Venezuela mortgaged half of the shares for its Citgo gas stations in the US, which belong to the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA.
This gives Moscow two aces to play against US President Donald Trump: It has influence on the Citgo gas-station network and the fuel supply in the USA. And its presence in Venezuela means it has established itself as a major player in Latin America alongside China and the USA.
Venezuela on the brink
Venezuela is facing collapse amid multiple crises. DW takes a look at what has brought the oil-rich nation to its knees.
In March 2017, violent protests erupted across the country in response to a Supreme Court decision to strip the legislative branch of its powers. Amid an international outcry, President Nicolas Maduro reversed the decision, but it was too late. Thousands continued to take to the streets, calling for new elections. More than 100 people were killed in clashes with security forces.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Barreto
Hunger, a growing problem
The violence added to the ongoing economic and political crisis in Venezuela. Many Venezuelans spend more than 30 hours a week waiting in lines to shop, and are often confronted with empty shelves when they finally enter a store. President Maduro blames the crisis on US price speculation. The opposition, however, accuses the Socialist government of economic mismanagement.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/C. Becerra
Health care in crisis
The crisis has even affected health care in the oil-rich nation. Venezuelans often head to Colombia to collect medical supplies to send home, as seen in this picture. Hospitals across Venezuela have compared conditions to those seen only in war zones. As patient deaths rise, health officials have sounded the alarm on the rise of malaria and dengue fever.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/M.Duenas Castaneda
Power grab
By July 2017, Venezuela's pro-government Constituent Assembly was established. For observers, it had all the hallmarks of a power grab. The new body adopted the authority to pass legislation on a range of issues, effectively taking away the powers of Venezuela's elected congress, which was under the opposition's control. The move drew wide international condemnation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Miraflores
The West sanctions
In response to the political crisis, the United States and European Union imposed a series of sanctions against ruling officials. The US blacklisted members of the Constituent Assembly and froze all of Maduro's assets that are subject to US jurisdiction. The EU banned arms sales to the country.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AFP/T. Schwarz
Government victorious in regional elections
In October 2017, Venezuela held two votes: regional elections and elections for governors, which were long overdue. The opposition boycotted the vote, but then split, as some candidates and small parties chose to participate. This caused a deep rift within Maduro's opponents. The government went on to sweep the vote, which detractors say was unfair and heavily favored the regime.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Debt default
In November 2017, the oil-rich, cash-poor nation faced its day of reckoning. Credit ratings agencies declared Venezuela and its state-run oil company in "selective default." But Russia offered to restructure the South American country's debt to ensure Caracas pays its other creditors. US and EU sanctions, however, limited the chance of an agreement.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Presidential elections scheduled
The National Assembly announced in January 2018 that it would grant Maduro's call for snap presidential elections. The electoral authority, CNE, held the elections on May 20. The EU, the US and 14 Latin American nations warned that they would not recognize the results. The mainstream MUD opposition alliance boycotted the vote, leaving only one possible outcome.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/F. Parra
Maduro wins ...
Maduro was re-elected to a second six-year term with about 68 percent of the vote. Turnout was only 46 percent, according to electoral authorities. However, the MUD opposition alliance put turnout at less than 30 percent. The Organization of American States (OAS) called the elections neither free nor fair.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
... Guaido assumes power
But weeks into the new year, the situation took a drastic turn. On January 23, 2019, parliament president Juan Guaido declared himself interim president of Venezuela — a move that was quickly recognized by US President Donald Trump. Maduro called it a US-backed "coup." Days later, the US sanctioned Venezuela's state oil firm, while Guaido staked his claim on the country's foreign assets.
Image: Imago/Agencia EFE
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Blockade at the Security Council
The most recent example is Russia's veto at the UN Security Council last week. Moscow countered Washington's resolution calling for new elections and international aid for Venezuela with a rival proposal.
The stalemate points to a return of the Cold War. The fact that this is now happening in Latin America, of all places, is particularly tragic: After all, the official confrontation between the USA and Russia there has only finally come to an end since the normalization of relations between the US and Cuba at the end of 2014.
If it were really about help for Venezuela's people, UN organizations such as the World Food Program (WFP) could supply food to the country — if necessary with a mandate from the UN Security Council. American and Russian aid organizations and aid workers from across the world could make their deliveries available to UN organizations instead of aid supplies being used to aggravate the political divisions in the country.
And what is even more important: Venezuela's government could itself ask the international community for support. If necessary, aid supplies could even be brought by volunteers on foot via other border crossings than Cucuta — completely away from any media attention.
The current political exploitation of humanitarian aid, on the other hand, is anything but humanitarian. It is making political hostages of an entire population and turning aid workers into accomplices in a bitter political power struggle. It is highly dangerous. And a political crime to boot.
