In aid to Venezuela, 25 countries have pledged $100 million, a top US official said Thursday, as the crisis-hit country's Supreme Court took aim at oil executives appointed by the opposition. Venezuela is plagued by hyperinflation and major shortages of basic goods, and two men -- opposition leader Juan Guido and President Nicolas Maduro -- are vying for control of the country.
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However, the United States is among more than 50 countries that have recognized Guido as interim president, but Maduro -- backed by the country's military as well as Russia, China and dozens of other states -- has so far refused to relinquish his office. US national security advisor John Bolton made the announcement on the aid pledged to Venezuela following an Organization of American States conference on assisting the country.
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Bolton tweeted as "Today, 25 countries, united at the OAS-hosted Conference on Humanitarian Assistance in Support of Venezuela pledged $100 million in humanitarian assistance,". According to David Smolanksy, coordinator of an OAS working group on migration and refugees from Venezuela, the money will go directly to aid collection centres set up on the borders with Colombia and Brazil and on the Caribbean island of Curacao. At the opening of the conference in Washington, Guido's representative in the United States, Carlos Vecchio, said the priority is to get aid into Venezuela on February 23 -- a month after Guido declared himself Venezuela's interim president.