Guaido says will ask Venezuela legislature to respond to blackout

Opposition leader Juan Guaido said Sunday he will ask Venezuela's legislature to declare a "state of alarm," authorizing the delivery of international aid in response to a catastrophic power outage that has paralyzed the country.

At least 15 patients with advanced kidney disease were reported to have died since the blackout began on Thursday, as hospitals struggled to provide emergency services and the threat of spoiling food supplies put many on edge.

"We must attend to this catastrophe immediately. We cannot turn away from it," said Guaido, the 35-year-old leader of the National Assembly who in January declared himself interim president, triggering a power struggle in the oil-rich country of 30 million.

He told reporters he is convening an emergency session of the National Assembly for Monday to declare a "state of alarm" and authorize the delivery of international aid.

Such an action would set up another test of wills with President Nicolas Maduro, who last month used the military to repel an opposition bid to bring in humanitarian supplies from Colombia and Brazil.

Guaido said he will also call Monday for more street protests to pressure Maduro to step down.

"You have the right to go into the street, to protest, to demand, because this regime is letting Venezuelans die," he said, appealing to the armed forces "to stop covering for the dictator."
"There are countless conversations going on between members of the National Assembly and members of the military in Venezuela, talking about what might come, how they might move to support the opposition," Bolton said in an interview on ABC's "This Week." One reason the security forces have refrained from arresting Guaido, he said, "is Maduro fears if he gave that order, it would not be obeyed."