Mr Maduro has denounced him as a puppet in a US-orchestrated coup attempt. Last month Mexico withdrew from the Lima Group, another regional body tackling the crisis, after its other members recognised Mr Guaidó. But Mr Maduro has rejected demands for new presidential elections, despite the lack of credibility surrounding the victory that secured him a second six-year term last year. Meanwhile, Mr Guaidó gave what he termed “a direct order” for his country’s military to let humanitarian aid arriving in Colombia enter Venezuela. Mr Maduro has denounced the aid as a pretext for an eventual US military intervention.

Source: The Irish Times February 07, 2019 19:52 UTC