Thousands in Caracas rally in support of Maduro

Thousands of supporters of the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro took part in a rally in Caracas on Wednesday, denouncing international threats of military intervention in the troubled nation.

They gathered in the Venezuelan capital, waving Venezuelan and socialist flags, and signs that read, "hands off Venezuela."

The ralliers also commemorated the 30th anniversary of "El Caracazo," a wave of protests that began in Caracas on February 27th of 1989, during which hundreds of demonstrators were killed by security forces.

"No to military intervention, of course not. We do not want our country to be attacked," Zulaica Campos, a Maduro supporter said.

"We will not allow foreign boots to set foot on our soil," Campos said.

Over the weekend, the country's opposition, led by Juan Guaido, who declared himself the rightful president of Venezuelan in January, failed to bring in foreign humanitarian aid, including those from the US through the Colombian border, due to the government's opposition. 

Russia warned on Friday that the White House is using the humanitarian aid scenario as a cover to arm the country's opposition while moving its own forces closer to Venezuelan borders in preparation for a military invasion.

Maduro also denounced the move, stressing that Trump wants to facilitate regime change in Venezuela under the cover of manufacturing a humanitarian crisis there.

On Thursday, he ordered shut Venezuela's border with Brazil and threatened to close the border with Colombia as well.

SS