On Friday, Venezuela's self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido refused to rule out the possibility of authorizing United States intervention to help force President Nicolas Maduro from power and ease a humanitarian crisis. National Assembly leader Guaido told AFP he would do "everything that is necessary... to save human lives," acknowledging that US intervention is "a very controversial subject."

However, it is to be noted that the opposition leader launched a bid to oust Maduro last month, declaring himself interim president, a move recognized by the US and around 40 other countries, including 20 from the European Union. Under Maduro's stewardship, oil-rich Venezuela's economy has collapsed leaving the country wracked by hyperinflation, recession and shortages of basic necessities such as food and medicine.

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Guaido, said that "We're going to do everything that has a lower social cost, that generates governability and stability to deal with the emergency,". He is trying to bring in food and medicines from the US but the supplies are stuck in warehouses in Colombia because the Venezuelan military has blocked their entry.

Earlier, Maduro vowed not to let in "fake humanitarian aid" and claimed Venezuela's crisis has been "fabricated by Washington" to justify intervention. Guaido says 300,000 people could die if desperately-needed aid isn't brought in.

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