World
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday ordered his military to monitor food production and distribution in five ports, as the country reels under dire shortages of basic supplies. Maduro said the deployment of the army was a part of a “great operation to fight the economic war,” which he claimed, has been waged by his U.S.-backed political opponents and businessmen. The opposition called for a referendum to oust the president, blaming the economic woes of the country on the government’s poor policies.
The Venezuelan Bishops Conference warned that the rise of the military would threaten peace and tranquility, writes the BBC. Venezuela, which has been hit by a deep economic crisis, has seen a string of violent protests over food shortages in recent weeks.
On Sunday, Venezuela opened its border with Colombia, allowing thousands of people to cross over and buy basic supplies from the country, reports Al Jazeera. On Tuesday, the U.S. bank Citibank closed Venezuela’s overseas payment account, prompting sharp criticism from Maduro, who likened the move to a “financial blockade.”
Several foreign companies including Coca-Cola, U.S. food giant The Kraft Heinz company, Clorox and airlines Lufthansa, Aeromexico and American Airlines have either shut down or scaled back their operations in Venezuela in the face of its deteriorating economy.
