Venezuela In Crisis -- News Updates March 6, 2019

Bloomberg: Heavily Armed Soldiers Aborted a Plan to Enter Venezuela by Force

Late last month, as U.S. officials joined Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido near a bridge in Colombia to send desperately needed aid to the masses and challenge the rule of Nicolas Maduro, some 200 exiled soldiers were checking their weapons and planning to clear the way for the convoy.

Led by retired General Cliver Alcala, who has been living in Colombia, they were going to drive back the Venezuelan national guardsmen blocking the aid on the other side. The plan was stopped by the Colombian government, which learned of it late and feared violent clashes at a highly public event it promised would be peaceful.

Almost no provisions got in that day and hopes that military commanders would abandon Maduro have so far been dashed. Even though Guaido is back in Caracas, recognized by 50 nations as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, the impromptu taking up of arms shows that the push to remove Maduro -- hailed by the U.S. as inevitable -- is growing increasingly chaotic and risky.

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Venezuela In Crisis -- News Updates March 6, 2019

Venezuela crisis: Maduro vows to defeat 'crazed minority' -- BBC
Venezuelan President Maduro says he will defeat opposition -- CGTN
Venezuela's Maduro says he will defeat opposition -- Reuters
Venezuela’s Guaido announces public sector strike against Maduro -- Los Angeles Times
Guaido escalates campaign to topple Maduro as power struggle continues in Venezuela -- CBC/AP
Venezuela's Guaido vows to paralyze public sector to squeeze Maduro -- Reuters
Venezuela's Guaido tells Maduro 'pressure just beginning' -- AFP
Venezuela’s adversaries seek to show resolve in crisis -- AP
Colombia border hospitals struggle with Venezuelan migrant influx -- Al Jazeera
U.S. looking at new sanctions against Venezuela: U.S. official -- Reuters
Guaidó Needs a New Strategy for Toppling the Maduro Regime -- Jonah Shepp, NYMag