Pro- and anti-government concerts were held near the Venezuela-Colombia border on Friday over the dispute regarding delivery of humanitarian aid to Venezuela. A three-day pro-government concert called by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to rival a charity music festival organized by British entrepreneur Richard Branson began on Friday with declarations of loyalty to the socialist leader.
Hours after billionaire Branson’s “Venezuela Aid Live” drew hundreds of people to catch a glimpse of international stars including Spanish Grammy Award winner Alejandro Sanz and Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi, Maduro’s concert began in more modest circumstances.
On the Tienditas border bridge several hundred meters from Branson’s concert, around 2,500 people gathered around a stage bearing a screen with the message: “For war, non-one.” A line-up of Venezuelan and Cuban artists took to the stage against a giant backdrop emblazoned with the words “Trump Hands off Venezuela.”
Branson’s concert aims to raise millions of dollars in aid to support the push by opposition leader Juan Guaido to bring in food and medicine for a population suffering shortages of basic necessities. Maduro has denied there is a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. He has declared the country’s southern border with Brazil closed and threatened to do the same with the Colombian border. On Friday night, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez announced the closing of three bridges connecting Colombia.