Maduro shuts down border with Brazil

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday shut down the country's border with Brazil "until further notice" in the wake of his standoff with self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido over allowing humanitarian aid.

Calling the aid a "provocation" and "child's game", Maduro said that he was also considering a "total closure to the border with Columbia", reported Aljazeera.

Blaming the United States, who became the first country to recognise Guaido as a president, Maduro said, "[The US] aimed to generate a huge national mess, but they didn't succeed. The country wants peace."

The US military had been delivering relief supplies to Venezuelan migrants in Colombia. Meanwhile, Guaido had also claimed that the relief aid will reach the country on February 23

US President Donald Trump recently requested the Venezuelan military to stop supporting Maduro as he is the "puppet" in the hand of the Cuban military. He also blamed him for stopping humanitarian aid.

European countries like Spain, UK, the Netherlands had earlier issued an ultimatum to Maduro to carry out fresh elections, failing which they would recognise Guaido as the interim President. The countries supported Guaido after Maduro held on to his post, refusing to hold new elections in the Latin American nation.

Guaido has called for the Venezuelan military to support him amidst the turmoil, leading to a handful of defections from the army that has shown its outright support to Maduro.

Countries like Russia, China, Turkey, amongst others, have supported Maduro in the crisis, slamming foreign intervention in the sovereign matters of Venezuela.

The political crisis began in Venezuela in January. When on January 24, Guaido, marched against Maduro and announced himself as interim president.

The economic crisis in the nation, coupled with a food shortage, has strengthened an anti-Maduro sentiment across the South American nation, with the opposition accusing Maduro of "usurping power". A defiant Maduro, who is backed by the country's powerful military, claimed that the opposition protests are an attempt by the US to stage a coup and overthrow him.