Venezuela's embattled President Nicolás Maduro has called Donald Trump's government a "gang of extremists" and blamed the US for his country's crisis. In an interview with the BBC, Maduro said he would not allow humanitarian aid into Venezuela as it was a way for the US to justify an intervention. The US and most Western governments have recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president. Meanwhile, Guaidó has called for new anti-government protests to force Maduro out of the government. Head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, Guaidó declared himself president on 23 January, saying the constitution allowed him to assume power temporarily when the president was deemed illegitimate.

Source: The Star February 12, 2019 13:52 UTC